[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported cases of breakthrough infections where individuals contracted monkeypox despite being vaccinated, stating that the vaccine is not a cure-all. There are concerns that the global spread will intensify further.
On the 17th (local time), according to Politico, Rosamund Lewis, head of the WHO Emergency Response Program for Smallpox, said at a press briefing held in Geneva, Switzerland, "The fact that breakthrough infections have begun to appear among some monkeypox virus-infected individuals is very important information," adding, "This indicates that the vaccine is not 100% effective in all situations." She emphasized, "We have known from the beginning that this vaccine would not be a cure-all."
So far, the only approved monkeypox vaccine is from the Danish biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic. It is used not only for prevention but also to protect those infected with the virus.
Monkeypox, which was endemic to the African region, began to appear outside Africa starting in May. Infection often presents with vesicular rash symptoms and may be accompanied by acute fever, headache, and muscle pain.
While the number of infected individuals worldwide was around 3,000 as of June, it has been rapidly increasing, and the WHO declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on the 23rd of last month. At the briefing, WHO stated that monkeypox cases have exceeded 35,000 in 92 countries.
The vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic also announced that it is in discussions with several production partners to meet vaccine demand. According to Bloomberg News, a Bavarian Nordic spokesperson said, "We are in talks with multiple companies to further expand global production capacity."
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