The EU Health Safety Committee has concluded that there are no grounds to consider the situation in the European Union in connection with the cases of monkeypox an emergency, European Commission (EC) spokesperson Stefan de Kersmaeker said.
“Our approach is based on scientific evidence, and it served as the basis for our discussions at the committee meeting the day before. The European Commission and EU Member States met to discuss the situation and consider how to coordinate the next steps. The Health Safety Committee agreed that there is currently no emergency situation in Europe concerning monkeypox,” the spokesman said at a briefing in Brussels on Tuesday.
He referred to an analysis published on August 16 by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, according to which “the overall risk to the population remains low at present.”
The EC representative also said that the committee members agreed on the need for a coordinated approach to this problem and close monitoring of the situation.
Answering a question about the availability of monkeypox vaccines in the EU, de Kersmaeker noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of preparedness for health crises. He said that since 2022, several contracts have been signed with different companies, and these vaccines have already been distributed to Member States.
“Our latest joint framework contract provides for the purchase of up to 2 million doses of vaccines,” the EC representative added.
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease. The infection is accompanied by fever, intoxication, swollen lymph nodes and further spread of the rash – first in the form of spots that transform into bubbles, after opening them, ulcers form, after they heal, crusts form, and when they fall off, scars form. In mild cases, the disease usually resolves on its own and lasts from 14 to 21 days.
Last week, the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern due to the outbreak of monkeypox in Congo and other African countries. This year, more than 14 thousand cases of the disease have been detected in Congo, with 524 deaths recorded.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video with a detailed explanation of the origin of the disease and the prospects for its spread – https://youtu.be/YXYU6KcQTcQ?si=wEj2TQc3MPHGx0QY
