Belgium becomes first country to impose 21-day mandatory quarantine for monkeypox patients

Belgium on Sunday became the first country to introduce mandatory quarantine for those infected with monkeypox. As nearly as 14 countries report a sporadic outbreak of the viral infection, including four in Belgium. Anyone testing positive in the country will have to remain isolated for 21 days (three weeks). All reported cases were linked to a festival in the port city of Antwerp, Daily Mail reported.

Meanwhile, experts at the Belgian Institute of Tropical Medicine have predicted that the potential risk of a larger outbreak is considerably low, according to Belgian daily Le Soir. Earlier on Saturday, researcher and head of the National Reference lab for COVID-19, microbiologist Emmanuel André tweeted that the fourth case of monkeypox was reported in the country. "The patient is being treated in Wallonia," he wrote, further confirming that it "is also linked to Antwerp event in which two others were infected." The festival was held in May.

This comes after Switzerland on Saturday detected its first case of monkeypox. According to the country's Federal Office of Public Health, the infection was detected in the Canton of Bern. The department authorities informed that they are closely monitoring the situation with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO confirms 100 cases of monkeypox from 12 countries

On Saturday, the WHO recorded 100 confirmed cases of monkeypox from 12 different countries- the UK, US, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Canada, and Australia. In addition, 28 more cases are under investigation. The UK has reported as many as 11 cases, British Secretary for Health and Social care said. Speaking to BBC, UK Health Security Agency chief Dr. Susan Hopkins warned of an imminent risk of a "significant rise" in infections in the coming days. On Sunday, she revealed that the health experts were "detecting more cases of monkeypox on a daily basis." Speaking to Sky News, Dr. Claire Dewsnap, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV stressed that "there are going to be more diagnoses over the next week." She further reckoned that the virus is "circulating in the general population," with a risk of a "massive surge" over the next two or three weeks.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection, most commonly found in tropical areas of west and central Africa. It has mild symptoms, with most infected people recovering in a few weeks. However, the strain that is currently seen spreading can prove fatal killing at least one in 100, experts warned.

The viral infection is often caused among those handling monkeys or eating undercooked meat. It can pass between humans via droplets in the air or touching the infected person. It was first discovered in 1958. The first human infection was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. The first case in the US and UK was reported in 2003 and 2018, respectively.

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