The Ministry of Health informed the APA on Friday that 37 infections have now been confirmed, compared to 20 in the previous week. There is “continued intensive exchange with the international authorities,” the Ministry of Health said.
“Good Common European Way”
With regard to vaccine procurement, one is “on a good common European path”. The Ministry of Health expects that the first vaccine doses “could come to Austria in the coming weeks”. However, there will “by no means” be a general vaccination of the population, but it should be available for individual groups of people. The National Vaccination Panel advises on who gets vaccinated and when.
Well over half of the cases have so far occurred in Vienna. The city’s health authorities have so far registered 21 monkeypox infections, of which, according to Mario Dujakovic, spokesman for City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ), 16 are currently active. Five patients have already recovered. Four cases are currently being treated at Klinik Favoriten, the Viennese specialist clinic for infectious diseases.
Men between the ages of 25 and 55
The 16 active cases are exclusively men between the ages of 25 and 55. In the very mild cases, the symptoms range from a few isolated pustules to more widespread rashes. None of those affected has been vaccinated against smallpox, as far as the authorities of the city of Vienna could find out. However, the hospital stays should be regarded as a “pure precautionary measure”. “The course of the disease itself does not require a hospital stay,” said Dujakovic.
The City of Vienna recommended that people who are in close physical contact with people infected with monkeypox or who are suspected of having smallpox due to symptoms – especially skin lesions and pustules – should call 1450. There they should discuss the next steps in a medical consultation.