Amiran Gamkrelidze: The speed of spread of monkeypox is not the same as we had during the covid pandemic, but preparedness is necessary

Since May, we have had 10 alleged cases of monkeypox, one of which was laboratory-confirmed, and the patient has already been discharged and is feeling well - new recommendations will be published on Monday and the country will act according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the National Center for Disease Control, told Interpressnews.

According to him, as soon as the first cases of monkeypox were detected in different countries, relevant preliminary works were carried out in Georgia.

"The WHO’s director declared a global health emergency as the number of cases of monkeypox is increasing. He explained that this is not a pandemic, it is a concentrated epidemic in a certain group of people and groups, mostly in men, and the speed of spread is not the same as we had during the covid pandemic, but it is necessary to be prepared and he called on the countries for this preparedness. Countries have been divided into four groups, we are in the first group - these are countries where monkeypox has not yet been reported, or no new cases were registered in the last 21 days. We had one confirmed case. Since May, we have had 10 alleged cases of monkeypox, one of which was laboratory-confirmed, and the patient has already been discharged and is feeling well.

New recommendations will be published on Monday and the country will act according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization”, said Gamkrelidze.

George Katcharava - The events of April 2024 determine future trends of global pollical and security architecture