Total of 55 Monkeypox Cases Reported in Luxembourg

In its weekly update on the monkeypox virus, issued on Friday 16 September 2022, Luxembourg's Ministry of Health confirmed that a total of 55 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the Grand Duchy to date.

Up to Tuesday 13 September 2022, a total of 23,837 cases of monkeypox in 43 countries and areas in the European region had been reported to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This represents an increase of 641 cases over one week.

The first known case of monkeypox dates back to 7 March 2022 and was identified by a retrospective test on a residual sample. The first onset of symptoms was reported on 3 April 2022. The majority of cases concern people aged 31 to 40 years (9,317/23,581 - 40%), particularly men (23,227/23,566 - 98.6%). Of the 10,288 male cases whose sexual orientation was known, 97% identified themselves as men who have sex with men. Of the cases with known HIV status, 35% (3,929/11,215) were HIV positive.

The majority of cases presented with rash (11,172/14,623 - 76.4%) and systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, chills, a sore throat or headache (9,933/14,623 - 68%). 670 people with monkeypox were hospitalised (6.1%), including 226 who required clinical care. Five infected individuals were admitted to an intensive care unit, three of whom died of monkeypox. To date, 91 cases have been reported to be healthcare workers, of which three cases had been exposed to the virus at work. In all three cases, the healthcare workers had been wearing the recommended personal protective equipment, but were exposed to body fluids while collecting samples.

In Luxembourg, a total of 55 cases of monkeypox had been confirmed up to Wednesday 14 September 2022 inclusive. This represents an increase of one case compared to the previous week. So far, all the cases detected concern men with an average age of 37 years. Three individuals were hospitalised for a short period but have since been discharged from hospital. According to the Health Ministry, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cases detected in Luxembourg are very similar to the cases reported at the European level.

Vaccination against monkeypox for certain at-risk individuals began at the national service for infectious diseases at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL; tel.: 4411-3129 for an appointment) on 16 August 2022. Up to 14 September 2022, a total of 619 people had received a first dose of the vaccine and 80 people had received a second dose.

The recommendation of the Superior Council of Infectious Diseases (Conseil supérieur des maladies infectieuses - CSMI) of 24 August 2022 provides for the administration of a single vaccine dose to people who have received a previous vaccination against smallpox with a live first or second generation vaccine (people born before 1977 or those with a typical vaccination scar on their arm). 

Luxembourg's Health Directorate recalled the importance of protecting oneself against the virus and avoiding risky situations in order to limit its spread. Infected individuals should be isolated and avoid contact with other people, cover lesions and pimples and practise good hand hygiene. Protective measures include limiting the number of one's sexual partners and not sharing personal effects (bed linen, towels, razors, etc.) with infected individuals or with those who have been in contact with infected individuals.