Moderna testing monkeypox vaccines at ‘preclinical level’, Monkeypox outbreak: World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that there have been 131 confirmed monkeypox cases and 106 further suspected cases so far

As Monkeypox cases keep getting reported globally, the Moderna Inc has informed that they are testing potential vaccines against monkeypox in pre-clinical trials. The Cambridge, Massachusetts biopharma, responsible for one of the most effective Covid-19 vaccines on the market, announced plans to explore potential vaccines for monkeypox at a “preclinical level,” according to a Monday announcement.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus that spreads mostly among animals but has been endemic in a few countries in Africa for a number of years, including Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. Until now, cases that have cropped up in Europe have by and large been directly tied to travel. Now, health officials are identifying more widespread transmission.

This comes after World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that there have been 131 confirmed monkeypox cases and 106 further suspected cases. The first suspected case was reported on 7 May outside the countries where it usually spreads.Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people in close physical contact with cases who are symptomatic”, the UN health agency had said on Monday. A WHO official stated that the virus is now getting transmitted sexually, which has amplified its transmission around the world.

“What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world,” WHO official David Heymann, an infectious disease specialist, told Reuters.

WHO on Tuesday also confirmed that there is no evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated. Regarding vaccination programme, WHO said it does not believe the monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations.Moderna did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the monkeypox vaccines. Moderna’s preclinical exploration on a monkeypox jab will join the biotech’s work on a host of vaccines beyond Covid, including shots to defend against the flu, common cold and RSV.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the government was in the process of releasing doses of a smallpox vaccine Jynneos, made by Bavarian Nordic A/S, for use in monkeypox cases. The UN agency also reassured that the risk of monkeypox is low. Further the health agency also confirmed that monkeypox outbreaks can be contained in non-endemic countries and human-to-human transmission stopped

Source: This news is originally published by livemint

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