In early May 2022, cases of monkeypox (Monkeypox) not directly linked to travel to Central or West Africa where the virus is present, or people returning from travel, have been reported in Europe and around the world. Since that date, the disease has been the subject, in France and in Europe, of heightened surveillance.
Update in France
As of September 12, 2022 at 12:00 p.m., 3,833 confirmed cases have been identified in France, i.e. 112 additional cases since the assessment of September 6.
The distribution of confirmed cases by region of residence (or by reporting region when the region of residence is unknown) is presented in figure 1. The Ile-de-France region concentrates the largest number of cases (2,332, or 61% ), followed by Occitania (308 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (264 cases) and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (246 cases); 20 cases reside abroad.
For 1,097 confirmed cases (29%), the region of residence was not known and was replaced by the region of reporting.
The vast majority of confirmed adult cases identified to date are male and 79 cases (2.1%) are female. The proportion of female cases has increased over the past few weeks. Among all confirmed cases reported in week 36 (unconsolidated data), 12.9% are women (compared to 5.7% in week 35 (according to consolidated data), 7.5% in week 34 and 5, 8% in week 33). But the number of confirmed cases reported in women remains low (maximum of 12 cases reported in week 34 and week 36), in a context of a decrease in the total number of confirmed cases for several weeks. These data should therefore be interpreted with caution.
Nine (0.2%) children under the age of 15 were reported as confirmed cases. Confirmed adult cases have a median age of 36; 25% of adult cases are under 29 years old and 25% are 43 to 81 years old.
Among the confirmed cases for which information is available, 81 (2.1%) were hospitalized because of their Monkeypox virus infection, this proportion remains stable over time.
No deaths have been reported to date.
The distribution of cases by symptom onset date (when known) is shown in Figure 2. The case symptom onset date ranges from May 7 to September 5, 2022. of declaration, the data of the last weeks are not consolidated. The reports received do not always mention the date of onset of the symptoms. As an alternative to this information, the distribution of cases according to their date of reporting is presented in Figure 3.
These updated data suggest that the peak of contamination took place at the end of June/beginning of July and that the number of confirmed cases has tended to decrease since then. However, we must remain cautious because the summer period may have led to delays in diagnosis and reporting. Similarly, some people may not have sought care. Several other countries, particularly in Europe, have also observed a slowdown or even a decrease in the number of new cases declared in recent weeks.
Figure 1. Laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox (n=3,813 cases) by region of residence (or by reporting region when region of residence is unknown), France, May-September 2022 (data as of 09/12/2022 – 12:00 p.m.)
Figure 2. Monkey pox cases (n=2,736 cases, number of missing data: 1,097) by week of onset of symptoms, France, May-September 2022 (data as of 09/12/2022 – 12:00 p.m.).
The data for the last few weeks (in light blue) are not fully consolidated.
Figure 3. Monkeypox cases (n= 3,833 cases) by reporting week, France, May-September 2022 (data as of 09/12/2022 – 12:00 p.m.). The data for the last week (in light blue) is not fully consolidated.
The data for the last week (in light blue) is not fully consolidated. The reporting low observed in week 28 (July 11 to 17) can be explained by the July 14 public holiday.
Preventive vaccination against monkeypox
For this week, deliveries of third-generation vaccines will be around 2,000 doses due to large stocks in the various vaccination centres.
As a reminder, concerning the deployment of vaccination, as of September 8, 2022, 152,732 doses of 3rd generation vaccine had been delivered by the Agency to the territories.
As of September 11, 2022, the total number of doses administered is 89,970 (source: Ministry of Health and Prevention).
Information and prevention actions
Given what has been observed in Europe on the disease, targeted communication was quickly implemented towards MSM people. The website sexosafe.fr, dedicated to the sexuality of MSM people, is regularly updated with a summary of knowledge on the subject and prevention measures. Poster, radio and digital campaigns provide information to people in addition to actions in the field. Since June 17, the digital campaign has generated nearly 898,991 banner clicks and more than 797,320 visits to the Sexosafe site.
All information on vaccination is updated weekly on the page intended for the General public and that intended for health professionals (accessible without login) of the site Vaccination-info-service.
Prevention actions are continuously adapted to the evolution of the situation and the state of knowledge.
To facilitate access to information for vulnerable people in precarious situations, a pictorial tool, translated into 6 languages, developed with professionals working with these people is available on Public Health France
The MOBCO newsletter n°7 compiled with actors in the field brings together a series of questions/answers on the subject of Monkeypox/monkey pox. It is aimed at professionals or volunteers in contact with people in precarious situations.
In France, long-term monitoring of monkeypox through the mandatory notification system is reinforced and information and alert messages are sent to health professionals. Exchanges are also continuing with other European countries, the WHO and the ECDC.
Monkeypox info service: a listening device to answer questions about monkeypox
The “Monkeypox info service” telephone line is accessible every day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., on the toll-free number 0 801 90 80 69 (free, anonymous and confidential call and services). This device is in charge of accompanying prevention messages and protective measures, of providing information on symptoms, treatments and vaccination, of advising and directing towards the care devices.
Since the line opened in mid-July, 7,455 interviews have been carried out on Monkeypox info service.
- 257 interviews were conducted in week 36 (versus 331 in week 35)
- The number of daily interviews has been falling steadily since Wednesday August 10, 2022: 45 interviews handled on average per day (excluding weekends), while the average daily number of interviews was 275 at the end of July, and 225 at the beginning of August .
- The topics covered during the interviews remain mainly the means of prevention (62% of the interviews). The questions on this topic repeatedly relate to vaccination and its various access methods.
- The psychological and relational aspects represent 24% of the interviews (fear of being infected, risk of contaminating those around you, fears linked to possible complications of the disease, etc.).
