​Bogota, May 20, 2022. Considering the number of registered monkeypox cases in several countries that have been known to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and Social Protection explains what is known about this virus. In particular, as the National Institute of Health (INS) has already indicated, it is not new.

Claudia Cuellar, director of Epidemiology and Demography of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, noted that the WHO informs that cases of monkeypox have been reported since May 15.

She also highlighted that this smallpox is a viral zoonotic disease which, according to the WHO, occurs in tropical forest areas of central and western Africa, although it is occasionally exported to other regions.

"It is important to note that this virus is spread from person to person, through close contact with injuries, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and materials such as contaminated bedding," Cuellar said. On the other hand, she stated that its clinical presentation is similar to that in smallpox, although evidence shows it to be less severe.

Cuellar maintained that following the International Health Regulations, a risk assessment was conducted this Friday, which concluded that the level of risk is moderate. Follow-up and control measures are required, under the recommendations of the WHO.

"This evaluation will be carried out again as the scientific evidence changes or as more reports and information related to the behavior of this virus are available," Cuellar added.

Symptoms of monkeypox include rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion.

She also specified that according to studies of outbreaks in African countries, the smallpox vaccine confers cross-protective immunity and has been effective in 85% of cases.

As already stated by the INS, so far, the country neither suspects nor confirms a case of this type of smallpox. The director of Epidemiology also pointed out that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of May 20, no deaths associated with monkeypox have been reported.

Eight countries in Europe, two in the Americas and one in the Pacific have registered confirmed cases as of this Friday, as seen in the following INS graph, which shows 66 confirmed infections and 51 suspected:

The official explained that the WHO recommendations include the countries carrying out a risk assessment, since the identification of a series of confirmed and presumed cases of monkeypox without direct travel links to an endemic area is very unusual.

She also revealed that the WHO has indicated that public health measures must continue in the countries that report these cases, considering that it is possible that it will spread to other countries. Also, in the event of any patient with suspected monkeypox, the patient must be investigated and isolated, tracing the close contacts that this patient may have had.

She indicated that the WHO, so far, has not issued any type of travel restrictions to countries such as Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom or any other affected country, according to the information available.

Similarly, the official reiterated that this smallpox occurs more frequently in countries of Central and West Africa and that in 2019 a vaccine was approved, which has limited availability in most countries. This year, Tecovirimat was also approved as a treatment, always as recommended and under medical prescription.

Finally, Cuellar specified that the country, in the INS reference laboratory, has the capacity to detect this smallpox.