The wave of monkeypox has slowly come to a halt here in Luxembourg. The few hospitalisations that were reported mainly came about due to pain.
Since mid-June, 55 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Luxembourg. No more people have been infected with the virus in the last two months, with the last case confirmed in early September.
In total, three people have been hospitalised, but mainly due to the pain. Generally, the situation is stable in Luxembourg, and the risk of a further wave is currently small.
The infection generally lasts between three and four weeks, but the incubation period is yet to be established. The virus is detected by a test of the water in the pock.
As epidemiologist Dr Joël Mossong of the Ministry of Health explains, the main problem with hospitalisations is pain. Homosexual men in particular were sick, says Dr Mossong, but there were few cases overall. At the CHL, only three patients were hospitalised, and they were all allowed to go home after a few days.
Although the situation is more stable in Luxembourg and Europe, the ministry still recommends vaccination for patients at risk. Especially homosexual men who are not in a committed relationship are advised to get vaccinated and to contact the CHL risk group.
The vaccination is administered in two doses, unless you were vaccinated against smallpox as a child, in which case you only get one dose.
So far, 1,600 vaccinations have been delivered in Luxembourg, and most people have been fully vaccinated since the campaign started in August. The ministry also has enough vaccination surplus and therefore actively encourages anyone who wants to get vaccinated to do so.