Monkeypox cases jumped 20% in the last week to 35,000 across 92 countries: WHO

Geneva, Aug 18: More than 35,000 cases of monkeypox have now been reported from 92 countries and territories, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday. Almost 7,500 cases were reported last week, which is a 20 per cent increase over the previous week.

"More than 35,000 cases of #monkeypox have now been reported to WHO, from 92 countries and territories, with 12 deaths. Almost 7,500 cases were reported last week, a 20 per cent increase over the previous week, which was also 20 per cent more than the week before," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The WHO chief also said that most of the monkeypox cases are being reported from Europe and the Americas.

"Almost all (monkeypox) cases are being reported -- from Europe and the Americas -among men who have sex with men, underscoring the importance for all countries to design and deliver services and info tailored to these communities that protect the health, human rights and dignity," he said.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting two to four weeks. The case fatality ratio has historically ranged from zero to 11 per cent in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around three to six per cent.

The symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one to three days of the onset of fever, last for around two to four weeks, and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they turn itchy (in the crust stage).