Virologist warns against monkeypox: “Vaccinate quickly!

Don't know how the outbreak is developing."

Created: 05/25/2022, 15:58

By: Momir Takac

Cases of monkeypox are increasing in Germany.

Politicians and experts discuss preventive measures.

The Stiko boss considers vaccination to be useful.

News ticker.

• Monkeypox in Germany: More and more cases are registered.

• Vaccination of risk groups

  : Stiko boss Mertens thinks that makes sense.

• 40,000 vaccine doses against monkeypox not enough?

  Virologist fears bottleneck.

• This news ticker is updated regularly.

Update from May 25, 3:45 p.m .:

According to the manufacturer of the monkeypox vaccine Imvanex, the current outbreak is not expected to result in a shortage of the vaccine.

"We believe that we can meet global demand without further investments in our production facilities," said spokesman for the company Bavarian Nordic, Rolf Sass Sørensen, in an interview with dpa on Wednesday.

Bavarian Nordic is headquartered in Denmark, where production also takes place.

However, the vector vaccine was developed in the German branch in Martinsried near Munich.

The company holds the only approved monkeypox vaccine in the world.

It is currently possible to produce 30 million cans a year, said Sørensen.

However, approval for monkeypox is limited to the United States, where the vaccine is known as Jynneos, and Canada.

Approval in the European Union is being planned, said Sørensen.

In Europe, the vaccine has so far only been approved for smallpox in humans, which is believed to be extinct.

In Great Britain, for example, the vaccine is also used "off-label", i.e. without the appropriate approval, Sørensen continues.

The spokesman did not want to reveal exactly what quantities of the vaccine were sold to which countries.

However, he emphasized that the company is currently receiving inquiries "from many, many countries" and that it is likely to receive inquiries from all countries affected by the current outbreak.

According to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), Germany has ordered "up to 40,000 doses" of smallpox vaccine.

Monkeypox: The federal government wants to get up to 40,000 doses of a vaccine

Update from May 25, 2:21 p.m .: In

view of the increasing cases of monkeypox, the federal government procures up to 40,000 doses of a vaccine.

However, the crowd worries the President of the Society for Virology.

It could be tight, fears Ralf Bartenschlager from Heidelberg University Hospital.

"Nevertheless, this is a good start, especially for vaccinations in the area of ​​​​known infection clusters, which will probably clearly limit the outbreak," said Bartenschlager of the German Press Agency.

"We don't know how the outbreak will continue to develop.

Therefore, you should start with these vaccinations quickly.

Otherwise, if the pathogen spreads further, it will become increasingly difficult to contain it.”

Monkeypox: Ten more cases found in Canada

Update from May 25, 1:36 p.m .:

Ten more cases of monkeypox were found in Canada on Tuesday.

This increased the total number of confirmed cases of infection in the province of Québec to 15, according to the health authorities.

"We expect more cases to be confirmed in the coming days," said Canada's Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.

According to him, further samples are currently being examined in laboratories.

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Stiko boss Mertens: Vaccination against monkeypox makes sense, especially for risk groups

First report from May 25, 2022:

Berlin/Munich - The cases of monkeypox are increasing in Germany every day.

Concern is growing that the rare viral disease could spread at a rate similar to that of the corona virus.

Politicians and experts are already discussing measures to curb the spread.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, for example, recommends a quarantine of at least 21 days in the event of an infection with monkeypox.

Physicians also consider this to be useful.

Because as long as patients have pustules, they are considered highly infectious.

In view of the increasing number of cases of monkeypox in Germany, a discussion about preventive measures has also flared up.

Monkey pox news: Stiko boss Mertens believes vaccination against risk groups makes sense

keyword vaccination.

The head of the Standing Vaccination Commission has now commented on this.

He considers preventive vaccination of risk groups to be useful, said Thomas Mertens of the

.

"We are currently thinking about it." Vaccination of the entire population in Germany is "very unlikely," he said.

Mertens pointed out that only one vaccine could be considered, and that it was "much better tolerated" than the classic smallpox vaccine, which caused meningitis in one out of around 20,000 cases.

In contrast to the classic smallpox vaccination, no side effects are to be expected with the modern vaccine.

Monkeypox in Germany: According to virologist Ciesek, severe courses are possible

Older people who have been vaccinated against smallpox are also vaccinated against monkeypox, according to the Stiko boss.

"A certain protection probably lasts for life," said Mertens.

Although the vaccination protection is not complete, it at least protects against serious diseases.

Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek has already announced that he wants to order a monkeypox vaccine.

Lauterbach ordered "up to 40,000 cans".

The fact that Germany needs measures against monkeypox is due to the dangerous nature of the pathogen.

According to virologist Sandra Ciesek, the virus can be associated with complications or severe courses.