About 1,700 people in France infected with monkeypox - minister

Around 1,700 people have been infected in France with monkeypox, Health Minister Francois Braun said on Monday (25 July).

Braun stated that the government has opened approximately 100 monkeypox vaccination centers and that over 6,000 people have had preventive vaccinations.

Braun urged patients with lesions and other symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.

Braun stated that he didn't see any major threat to the public and suggested that the government would concentrate its vaccination campaign on the most vulnerable groups.

Braun stated that patients are mostly men who have had sexual relations. However, one can be infected by contact of a patient's blisters.

He said that most of the infections occurred in Paris, and that there would be a major vaccination center in Paris by the end of this week.

The rapidly spreading monkeypox epidemic is a global emergency according to the World Health Organization on Saturday. This year has seen more than 16,000 monkeypox cases in over 75 countries and five deaths in Africa.

This viral disease is spreading mainly to men who have had sex outside of Africa, where it is endemic.

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