US buys millions of vaccine doses for new virus!

 

US health authorities have signed a $119 million deal for vaccine doses against the monkey chickenpox virus

after a Massachusetts man was diagnosed with the rare but potentially dangerous disease.

The Advanced Biomedical Research and Development Authority (BARDA) - a government agency dedicated to combating epidemics and bioterrorism - announced the signing of a multi-million dollar contract with the North Bavarian Danish pharmaceutical company on Wednesday

the company announced in a statement.

• The $119 million deal is one of a series of contract options that 

• could eventually reach a total value of $299 million if implemented

• for about 13 million freeze-dried doses of the Jynneos vaccine.

• It was originally established for smallpox

but was approved for use against chickenpox by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019, just months before the first cases of "COVID-19" were detected in China.

Jynneos Shot's initial deliveries will not come until 2023, stating that doses of 13 million are expected to be ready sometime between 2024 and 2025 if BARDA agrees to extend the contract.

The first monkey pox virus case in the United States was confirmed on Wednesday by a man who had recently traveled to Canada. 

Federal health officials have since said they are monitoring six others after they approached an infected passenger during a flight from Nigeria to the UK earlier this month while another possible case is being investigated by the NewYork City Health Department.

A number of suspected or confirmed infections have also been observed in Britain

Canada, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Sweden in recent weeks. Australia discovered its first case.

On Thursday, the northern state of Bavaria announced that it had also reached an agreement with an "undeclared European state" 

1. on the same dual-use smallpox vaccine
2. despite being introduced under various brands
3. in response to new cases of chickenpox.

KOTC did not explain how many doses would be purchased or provide a lump-sum contract price.

In addition to vaccines

the US government also moved to buy doses of tecovirimat

the standard antiretroviral treatment for monkeys as the Defense Department signed a $7.5 million contract for the drug with US pharmaceutical company SIGA Technologies last week.

An IV form of the same antiviral received FDA approval for smallpox treatment on Thursday

although SIGA said the IV version was also cited 

"in the recent budget request of the President of the United States as being used to treat a patient in the United States with chickenpox."

Despite its rarity, monkey pox was previously discovered in the United States where a Texas resident was hospitalized last summer after traveling to West Africa where the pathogen is endemic. 

In 2003, more than 70 cases were confirmed in the United States, marking the first outbreak seen outside Africa according to the World Health Organization.

Initial symptoms include fever, head and muscle pain, enlarged lymph nodes, chills and fatigue.

Global health issues serious warnings with confirmed cases of deadly monkey chickenpox virus!

Global health issues serious warnings with confirmed cases of deadly monkey chickenpox virus!

The World Health Organization has issued a serious warning with four more cases of monkey pox detected in the UK.

According to the UK's Health Security Agency

the new cases detected in London and the north-east of England are not known to be related to the previous three infections.

Chickenpox is defined as a virus commonly found in central and west Africa and can be transmitted through contact and exposure to droplets through exhalation. 

The World Health Organization says symptoms can be mild or severe and can include lesions that can be highly itchy or painful.

Currently, the Occupational Health and Safety Services Authority (UKHSA) has established joint contact with two of the last four infected cases.

The Government's health authority is also investigating links with the virus.

 The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement 

• Any illness during travel or upon return from an infected area must inform the health

•  professional including information about the date of travel and recent immunization.

• Residents and travellers to endemic countries must avoid

• contact with sick animals (dead or living) 

that can harbour monkey pox virus (rodents, marsupials and monkeys) and must refrain from eating or dealing with wild game (game meat). 

The importance of hand hygiene with soap and water

or alcohol-based disinfectants, must be emphasized.

 While a vaccine and specific treatment for monkeys have recently been approved, in 2019 and 2022 respectively, these countermeasures are not yet widely available. "

UKHSA also noted that none of the new cases have visited a country where monkeypox virus is endemic, a virus that kills up to 10% of the infected population.

Last month, seven cases were identified in total, the first of which was recently returned from Nigeria, where he is believed to have contracted the virus.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Senior Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: "

This is rare and unusual. Evidence suggests that there may be transmission of ape pox virus in the community,spread through close contact.

We particularly urge gay and bisexual men to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact the Sexual Health Service without delay ".

According to a WHO statement: "Since September 2017

Nigeria has continued to report cases of chickenpox. From September 2017 to April 30
2022, a total of 558 suspected cases were reported from 32 states in the country. 

Of these, 241 cases have been confirmed, including eight deaths (cause of death rate: 3.3%). "

Edit This Article