US Gets 500,000 Monkeypox Vaccine Doses to Combat Ongoing Outbreak

A licensed monkeypox vaccine is produced by a pharmaceutical company with locations in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. Aside from 27 European countries, the US ordered a bulk of the vaccine.

In recent months, thousands of people worldwide, particularly in Europe, have contracted monkeypox, a disease that typically only spreads in West and Central Africa. The illness's name comes from the fact that it was first identified in research monkeys decades ago. However, the precise etiology of the virus is still being studied.

As of Wednesday this week, the United States reported that there were 3,308 confirmed cases of monkeypox in 42 different nations. Hundreds more cases are reported daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.K. is currently among the top three nations in terms of cases with a count of 793. Spain has 520 and Germany has 521. 155 cases have been reported in the United States.

Bavarian Nordic

Rolf Sass Sorensen, vice president of Danish company Bavarian Nordic, said that despite being surprised by this year's sudden outbreak, his company could easily supply the global market in light of the rising number of cases.

Sorensen observed that the U.S. approval his company received in 2019 when they were only selling a few hundred doses, quickly became extremely important for global health.

Revenue predictions are now between 1,900M to 2,100M Danish kroner or about 267M to 295M USD, up from the previous 1,800M KR and 2,000M KR just weeks ago.

The smallpox vaccine produced by Bavarian Nordic, which also protects against monkeypox, is sold under the brand names Imvamune in Canada, Imvanex in Europe, and Jynneos in the United States.

Vaccine

Notably, as long as the vaccine is administered within a few days of exposure to the virus, people can still be protected.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first gave the shot approval in the United States in 2019, even though it has been licensed in Europe since 2013, Newsweek reports.

Orders for the vaccine have poured in; the U.S. purchased half a million doses this month, and the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority purchased approximately 110,000 doses for 27 EU countries.

Read also: Debunked: Can Monkeypox Spread Through Sexual Transmission? 

Monkeypox Virus

The same-named virus that causes monkeypox can spread between people and between humans and animals. The CDC states that it can be transmitted through bites or scratches from an infected animal, direct contact with an infectious rash or bodily fluids, extended face-to-face or intimate contact, touching objects that have come into contact with an infectious rash or fluids or using meat or products from such an animal.

Monkeypox is frequently observed in central and western Africa, which are home to tropical rainforests and a variety of animals that could harbor the virus. Occasionally, after traveling from areas where monkeypox is endemic, people with the disease are found in nations outside of central and west Africa.

In May 2022, cases of monkeypox were reported in several non-endemic nations. Over ten nations in non-endemic regions have reported cases as of May 19, 2022. Investigations are ongoing in additional cases.

Related article: Monkeypox Warning: CDC Raises Alert Level as Cases Spike to Over 1,000 Affecting 29 Countries Worldwide