Brazil to treat severe monkeypox cases with antiviral drug Tecovirimat

Brazil to treat severe monkeypox cases with antiviral drug Tecovirimat
August 2, 2022, 8:20 am

Empty vials of vaccines against Monkeypox lie on a table after being used to vaccinate people at a medical center in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Brazil plans to use the antiviral drug Tecovirimat to treat severe cases of monkeypox, which has already claimed one life in the country, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said Monday (August 1), the Chinese Xinhua reported.

"The most serious cases will be taken into account first," Queiroga said via Twitter, adding Brazil will receive the drug thanks to mediation by the Pan American Health Organization, but did not specify how many doses will be supplied.

Tecovirimat is being used as a "compassionate care" option in the United States. Its efficacy in combating monkeypox has yet to be proven.

On Friday, health officials confirmed the first monkeypox-related death in Brazil, involving a 41-year-old man whose case is still being investigated.

According to the latest data released by the Brazilian government, the South American country has detected at least 1,342 cases of the disease.

Monkeypox doesn’t spread as easily as common illnesses like COVID-19 or the flu. People can only catch monkeypox if they have close contact with someone who is infected - Center for Disease Control and Prevention

On Monday (August 1), India reported the first possible case of monkeypx death in Asia.

India reports Asia’s first possible monkeypox death

According to the WHO, more than 18,000 monkeypox cases have been detected throughout the world outside Africa since the beginning of May, most of them in Europe.

The WHO's European office said on Saturday (July 30) that more monkeypox-related deaths can be expected.

levantnews with Xinhua-France24

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