Monkeypox spreads to Israel and Switzerland too, taking number of affected countries to 14

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Monkeypox infections have now spread to Israel and Switzerland taking the total number of nations reporting outbreaks of the disease to 14.</p>
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Both countries said they identified one infected person who had recently travelled, but Israel said it was investigating other suspected cases as well, according to a BBC report.</p>
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More than 80 cases have been confirmed in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia.</p>
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The World Health Organization has said another 50 suspected cases are being investigated and warned that more infections are likely to be confirmed.</p>
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Monkeypox is most common in remote tropical forests of Central and West Africa and its spread to western countries has come as a surprise.</p>
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After the outbreak was first identified in the UK, the virus began to be detected across Europe – with public health agencies in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden all confirming cases.</p>
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The UK Health Security Agency has identified 20 cases so far and its chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme: "We are detecting more cases on a daily basis."</p>
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She said the virus is now spreading in the community – with cases detected which have no contact with anyone who has visited West Africa, where the disease is endemic.</p>
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But the risk to the general population remains "extremely low", with cases so far mostly found in some urban areas and among gay or bisexual men, Dr Hopkins said.</p>
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Several countries have started stocking smallpox vaccines, which are about 85% effective in preventing monkeypox infection because the two viruses are similar.</p>
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The illness is usually mild and most people recover after a few weeks, according to the Britain’s National Health Service.</p>
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<strong>Also read: </strong> <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/health-news/govt-issues-alert-on-monkeypox-to-national-centre-for-disease-control-and-icmr-172433.html">Govt issues alert on Monkeypox to National Centre for Disease Control and ICMR</a></p>