At the beginning of the corona pandemic, many European health systems are unable to record infections. EU Health Commissioner Kyriakides fears that similar problems are imminent because of monkeypox. It proposes measures to the member states.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has sent a fire letter to the responsible ministers of the EU states because of the spread of monkeypox. The European Union is the epicenter of discovered cases, says the letter. “It is no time for complacency and we must continue to work together to control the outbreak.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak an “emergency of international concern”. Against this background, Kyriakides writes that it is important, among other things, that the EU states have solid systems for monitoring the situation and reporting new cases. That was lacking at the beginning of the corona pandemic.
Effective contact tracing and, if necessary, isolation could also help control the outbreak. But the most important thing is probably public communication about risks. This should be strengthened, “especially to raise awareness – without causing panic or stigmatization”.
The current cases are focused on men who have sex with men. However, this group should not be harassed or excluded. Kyriakides also warns that there is a risk of further transmission to other groups such as young children, pregnant women or people with a weakened immune system. “Prevention is the most powerful tool we have.”
In addition, the Cypriot points to the availability of medical countermeasures. More than 160,000 doses of vaccine from the company Bavarian Nordic have already been secured from the EU budget. Further purchases of the vaccine and the drug Tecovirimat are being prepared. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 2,459 monkeypox cases were last registered in Germany.