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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
August 03, 2022
On Saturday, the Spanish Ministry of Health announced the death of a second person infected with the virus. He is a man in his thirties.
After a first death announced Thursday by the authorities, a second patient with monkeypox died in Spain. These are the very first deaths outside Africa.
The 31-year-old man died in Andalusia
In its latest report published on Saturday, the Spanish Ministry’s Center for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies indicated that ” Among the 3750 patients (…) 120 cases were hospitalized and two died without, however, specifying the date and cause of death.
We know, however, that the patient was a 31-year-old man who died in Cordoba. The medical autopsy must make it possible to determine the cause of his death.
” The samples taken during the autopsy, which are being studied, will make it possible to determine whether the cause of death was meningoencephalitis or another pathology “, said the ministry.
In Brazil (Belo Horizonte), a 41-year-old man had already died on Thursday of smallpox. Suffering from cancer, he was “hospital follow-up for other serious clinical conditions“, according to the press release.
According to the Secretary of Health of Minas Gerais, Fábio Baccheretti, “ It is important to emphasize that he had serious comorbidities, so as not to cause panic in the population. Mortality (linked to this disease) remains very low “.
Since the outbreak began in May, eight monkeypox-related deaths have been recorded.
With nearly 4,298 monkeypox patients and two deaths on the clock, Spain remains the country outside Africa most affected by the virus.
Monkeypox: WHO expects “more deaths”
These first deaths will not be the last, according to the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
” Given the continued spread of monkeypox in Europe, we expect more deaths “, thus revealed in a press release Catherine Smallwood, an emergency situation manager for WHO Europe.
The organization nevertheless emphasizes that severe forms remain rare.
An observation shared by Dr. Kierzek.
” Monkeypox is mild. Only fragile people are at risk of developing a serious form, such as those with cancer, advanced immunosuppression… but it is not known whether or not the death is directly linked to the smallpox virus. So there’s no point in worrying for the moment but to recall the preventive measures including vaccination, ”recalls the medical director of Doctissimo.