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France opens monkeypox vaccination center in Paris
French Health Minister Francois Braun announced on Monday that a high-capacity monkeypox vaccination center will open to the public from Tuesday (July 25) in Paris, the Xinhua reported.
According to Public Health France, the capital region recorded 726 monkeypox cases, almost half of the 1,567 confirmed cases in France last week.
The health minister said the number of confirmed cases now stands at more than 1,700.
Braun emphasized the country has "reacted immediately" to the increased number of monkeypox cases, adding: "Up to today, more than 100 vaccination centers are in place."
The World Health Organization declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on July 23.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus.
The virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.
Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.
It was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
Despite being named “monkeypox,” the source of the disease remains unknown.
However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) might harbor the virus and infect people.
levantnews-xinhua
