France says 33 monkeypox cases confirmed, no outbreak expected

France has 33 confirmed cases of monkeypox, health authorities said on Thursday. 

This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions, left, and spherical immature virions, right. AP

On Wednesday, 24 cases had been reported in Ile-de-France region surrounding Paris, two in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, one in Hauts-de-France, one in Centre-Val de Loire, four in Occitanie and one in Normandy, according to the Santé Publique France health authority.

An updated report will be published on Friday. The previous report, released on Sunday, showed 16 confirmed cases.

"The situation is evolving [...] very quickly", which justifies a "long-term surveillance" mechanism for the transmission of this virus, explained Santé Publique France.

[#Monkeypox] Point de situation au 1er juin 2022 à 10h
➡️ 33 cas confirmés de Monkeypox ont été rapportés en France
Pour en savoir plus 👇 https://t.co/Ge8GwGn7un

— SantépubliqueFrance (@SantePubliqueFr) June 1, 2022

No outbreak expected in France

The World Health Organisation said on Monday it was unlikely the monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa would lead to a pandemic, adding that it remained unclear whether infected people who were not displaying symptoms could transmit the disease.

France's Health Minister, Brigitte Bourguignon, said last week that authorities were not expecting an "outbreak" of the disease and that France had sufficient stocks of vaccine for contact cases.

Read also:

• France reports three cases of monkeypox virus that is spreading in Europe
• Push for targeted monkeypox vaccine rollout in France, Denmark

(with wires)