Monkeypox continues to progress. As of Tuesday July 19, Public Health France identified 1,453 patients in France. At the same time, associations such as Aides criticize the government for “slowness” of the vaccination campaign.
► What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a disease caused by an Orthoxpovirus. It is zoonotic, that is to say, it is transmitted to humans by an animal. Most of the time, it is primates that are carriers of the virus, and the transmission takes place in the forest areas of Central and West Africa.
Contamination between humans is also possible through skin lesions and droplets (saliva, sneezing, sputter). Sexual intercourse is therefore particularly conducive to transmission.
► What are the symptoms?
The infection is manifested by a « blistering rash, made up of fluid-filled blisters that progress to drying, crusting and then scarring. Itching may occur, specifies Public Health France.
“The case fatality rate in monkeypox epidemics is 1 to 10%” according to WHO data. However, no deaths have been recorded in France so far. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, body aches or fatigue. Usually the sick person recovers spontaneously in about four weeks. The most severe cases occur in children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
► How many cases in France?
Tuesday, July 19 at noon, 1,453 cases had been officially confirmed in France by the health authorities. Among them, 678 lived in Île-de-France. All but six women and two children are adult males. They range in age from 18 to 84, with a median age of 36.
Of those affected, 96% of those who provided their sexual orientation are men who have sex with men.
► What remedy?
Painkillers may be prescribed to treat the pain caused by the blister eruption. Also, the smallpox vaccine is effective in controlling monkeypox.
► Who can get vaccinated?
Originally, only people who had risky contact with a patient could be vaccinated. Since July 11, the campaign has been extended to men who have sex with men, trans people, sex workers and women. “professionals working in places of sexual consumption”.
However, the implementation of the vaccination campaign has raised criticism from certain associations.
???? We regret the slow implementation of prevention vaccination and its too limited access.
We ask the State that the logistics of delivering vaccines to the centers be facilitated as well as total transparency on these logistical constraints.— Association AIDES (@assoAIDES) July 13, 2022
According to them, the centers offering this vaccination remain rare and the open slots have been taken by storm. It is difficult to obtain one today, confirms a survey by Franceinfo. However, according to the Directorate General of Health, 30,000 doses have been taken out of vaccine stocks, and more than two thirds have already reached the field.