Monkeypox: First deaths outside Africa reported in Spain, Brazil
PremiumAt present, a total of 4,298 people are infected with the monkeypox infection in Spain and it has become one of the world's worst-hit countries.
Spain and Brazil reported their first monkeypox-affected fatalities on Friday, marking first deaths to the current outbreak of the disease outside of Africa, according to news agency AFP. At present, a total of 4,298 people are infected with the monkeypox infection in Spain and it has become one of the world's worst-hit countries, as per data from health ministry's emergency and alert coordination centre.
In the report, the health ministry emergency centre said, "A total of 120 monkeypox-affected persons are hospitalised at present, and one has died." An official has not given any specific reason behind the death yet, pending for the outcome of autopsy reports.
Meanwhile, a 41-year old man has succumbed to the monkeypox disease in Brazil, local authorities confirmed on Friday as quoted by AFP. According to reports, the man has serious immune system problems and died on Thursday in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the southeastern Minas Gerais state.
In an official statement, the state health ministry informed that the man who died of monkeypox, was receiving hospital treatment for other serious conditions too. "It is important to be noted that he had serious co-morbidities. He was also undergoing cancer treatment. So as not to spread panic among people, the death rate for monkeypox is very low," , said Minas Gerais health secretary Fabio Baccheretti.
So far, Brazil's health ministry has recorded around 1,000 monkeypox cases, mostly in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday said that the monkeypox outbreak can be stopped if the infected countries, communities and individuals aware themselves about the disease and take the necessary steps to stop its transmission from spreading among the people.
“More than 18,000 monkeypox cases have now been reported to WHO from 78 countries, with more than 70% cases reported from the European region and 25% from the regions of Americas. So far, five deaths have been reported and about 10% of infected patients are admitted to hospitals," he said.
He said that the best way to stop the monkeypox outbreak is to reduce the risk of its exposure, that means making the safe choices for yourself and others.
Earlier on Saturday, Tedros declared that monkeypox outbreak constitutes a global health emergency. First identified in monkeys, the virus is transmitted chiefly through close contact with an infected person. Until 2022, the viral disease has rarely spread outside Africa where it is endemic.
(With agencies inputs)
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less