4 cases of Monkeypox reported in Finland

So far, four monkeypox infections have been detected in Finland and all of the cases originated from outside the country, said the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in a press release on Friday.

The first case of suspected monkeypox viral infection has been spotted in Finland in late May.

The monkeypox epidemic which began in the spring of 2022 continues to spread around the world, especially in Europe and North America.

Monkeypox appears locally in African countries, and this year it has been diagnosed in other countries as well.

Infections diagnosed elsewhere have occurred mainly among people who have not travelled in areas where monkeypox is prevalent.

As of 23 June, about 3,300 cases of monkeypox had been detected in 2022. The greatest number of cases have been in the UK, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Canada, and France. There have been infections in a total of 42 different countries.

Monkeypox does not spread easily from person to person, and it is not typically transmitted in brief everyday contacts. The risk of a wider spread of monkeypox among the population is small.

This year most of the infections outside Africa came through sexual contact. Anybody can be infected, but according to WHO, infections are especially prevalent among men who have sex with men, and with new or numerous partners.

Condoms, when used correctly, give protection against several different sexually transmitted diseases, but they do not give adequate protection against monkeypox.

Monkeypox is typically accompanied by a skin condition with papules or blisters for which there is no other explanation. Before the skin reacts, other typical symptoms of infection may appear, such as fever or headache.