The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a “global emergency” due to the outbreak of the monkeypox virus, observed in more than 70 countries, including Turkey. The inclusion of such a popular destination among foreign tourists has worried the country's tourism, Turizm Gunlugu said.
Until recently, WHO did not perceive monkeypox as a global threat, but now it has revised distribution statistics and activated the highest level of danger. Most of the concern is in Europe, as it is there that the risk of human infection is “high”. At the same time, the agency assessed the risk of the new “horror story” around the world as “moderate” so far.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, after a recent meeting, said that so far more than 16 thousand cases of monkeypox have been registered in 76 countries of the world and noted the following in this regard: “I am concerned about the increase in the number of cases and the increase in the number of countries in which a virus has been detected.”
In recent weeks, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, has made a statement. Monkeypox cases have tripled in the European Region in the past 3 weeks, he said. “I reiterate my call to governments and civil society to step up their work in the coming weeks and months to prevent the spread of monkeypox over a wide geographic area. Urgent and coordinated action is needed to reverse the growing spread of this disease,” he said.
Why has the Turkish incident troubled tourism?
On June 30, the virus reached Turkey, a popular tourist region. Health Minister Koca announced this on his social media account. “One of our patients was diagnosed with monkeypox disease. The patient is 37 years old, he has an insufficient immune system. He is isolated. Contact observation was carried out, there were no other cases. As you know, this disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets, but through close physical contact,” the official wrote.
The first fact of detection alerted tourism, since vacationers from different countries gather in the country: upon returning home, they can also bring a viral disease with them. This means that Turkey could be included in the list of especially dangerous places for catching an infection, if one is drawn up.
What is known about monkeypox?
Monkeypox is known to be a viral disease that is transmitted by close physical contact, rather than airborne droplets, as with coronavirus. Traditionally, people with monkeypox develop fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and muscle pain. Symptoms are followed by a rash that starts on the face or mouth and then spreads to other parts of the body, especially the arms and legs.
However, in some recent cases, patients have first experienced a rash in the mouth, around the genitals, or anus. And instead of widespread rashes, some patients had scattered or local lesions on different parts of the body other than the face, arms or legs.
According to the latest WHO statement on July 20, five people have died so far due to the new disease . All cases occurred in Africa. Only one case of monkeypox has been officially confirmed in Russia, Rospotrebnadzor said on July 12. The disease was detected in a young man who returned from Europe.
Earlier, Turprom wrote that “Bad news has been announced for those wishing to move to the EU.”
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