Credit: Ministry of Health (sante.lu)
On Saturday 20 August 2022, Luxembourg's Ministry of Health issued a weekly update on the Monkeypox virus in the Grand Duchy.
Up to 16 August 2022, in 43 countries and areas in the European region, a total of 19,429 cases of monkeypox have been reported to the health authorities - the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) - which represents an increase of 1,532 cases since last week.
The majority of cases were between 31 and 40 years old (7,602/18,917 - 40%) and were mainly men (16,065/16,241 - 98.9%). Of the cases with known HIV status, 38% (2,749/7,322) were HIV positive. The majority of cases presented with rash (8,937/11,587 - 77.1%) and systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, chills, sore throat or headache (7,495/11,587 - 65%). 505 cases were hospitalised (5.8%), including 179 who required clinical care. Three cases were admitted to intensive care, including one case who was admitted for reasons other than monkeypox virus infection. The other two cases admitted to intensive care died of monkeypox. 57)cases were reported as health care workers, all exposed outside of work.
Up to 17 August 2022 inclusive, 45 cases of monkeypox have been detected in Luxembourg, which represents an increase of 4 cases since last week. So far all the cases detected are male with an average age of 38 years. Two cases were hospitalised for a short time and have meanwhile been discharged from hospital. The other epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cases detected in Luxembourg are very similar to cases reported at European level.
The Department of Health recalled that it is important to protect oneself against the virus and to avoid risky situations in order to limit the spread of the virus. Infected people should be isolated and avoid contact with other people, cover lesions and pimples and practice hand hygiene. Among the protective measures, it is advisable to reduce the number of sexual partners and not to share personal effects with infected people or who have been in contact with infected people (bed linen, towels, razors, etc.).
