Chief Sanitary Doctor Igor Kuzin: The risks of monkeypox for Ukraine are quite low

The Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin, believes that monkeypox will be in the country, but the cases will be localized. He considers the risks for Ukraine as low.

He told about it to "Suspilne" and ZN.ua.

Cousin emphasized that this type of smallpox is a zoonotic disease transmitted from animal to human. It is quite rare and occurs mainly in some parts of Africa, where there are tropical rainforests.

"For Ukraine, the risks are quite low. First, the disease is more severe than coronavirus. To become infected, you must have pretty close contact with body fluids, blood, affected skin, or the mucous membranes of an infected person or animal. Secondly, Ukraine is not a transit country for travel to Africa, and the number of migration processes is now minimal, "Kuzin said.

He expressed confidence that there will be cases of monkeypox in Ukraine, but this would not be a challenge for the health care system.

"We know exactly how to conduct an epidemiological investigation; we know exactly what to treat, how to treat. And [we know] what should be used to localize this disease. Thatʼs why Iʼm not sure there will be an outbreak, "Kuzin said.

• Currently, smallpox is spreading in Europe. To date, 171 confirmed cases and 87 suspects had been recorded. 258 cases were monitored, most of them in the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Spain.