Belgium introduces mandatory 21-day quarantine for monkeypox patients

Belgium introduces mandatory 21-day quarantine for monkeypox patients. La Libre Belgique writes about it..

Contacts do not have to go into isolation. It is enough to closely monitor the symptoms - the appearance of a rash on the face and other parts of the body, as well as flu symptoms.

Four cases of monkeypox confirmed in the country.

22 May 2022 WHO reported on 92 confirmed cases of this disease in the world. Case reports have been received from 12 nations, that are not endemic. The relationship between infection and the trip of the sick person to the region, where the infection is seen as an endemic disease, currently not installed.

Earlier, virologist and former head of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences Oyewale Tomori expressed his opinion, what caused the spread of monkeypox in Europe, North America and Australia may have a new strain of infectious disease.

Note, that many of the current cases are in sexual health clinics.

First case of infection in Europe identified 7 May – from a British tourist, who returned from Nigeria. Later in the UK found a few more cases – in London and the North East. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection, which is transmitted by contact and airborne droplets.

A statement on the World Health Organization website notes, that in the last few weeks at least eight European countries - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom reported cases of monkeypox. Outside the European Region, cases reported in Australia, Canada and the United States.