• At least 237 confirmed and suspected monkeypox cases of have been reported outside of Africa
Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) CEO brushed away any worries regarding the recent monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries.
At the World Economic Forum, on Wednesday, CEO Albert Bourla said that current data on the disease suggests it doesn’t transmit as easily as other viruses, such as COVID-19, and that it is unlikely to lead to a pandemic.
“That doesn’t mean that we should relax. I think we should monitor where the situation goes,” he added.
As of Wednesday, at least 237 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox had been reported in countries outside of Africa, including in the United Arab Emirates — the first gulf state to report a case.
Monkeypox spreads through close contact with people, animals or material infected.
Smallpox vaccinations have proven 85% effective against monkeypox, and already France and Denmark are considering targeted vaccination campaigns for those most at risk of transmitting the rare viral infection, that is endemic to Central and West Africa.
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Source: WEF