In early May 2022, cases of monkey pox (Monkeypox) not directly linked to travel to Central or West Africa where the virus is present, or people returning from travel, were reported in Europe and 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 20, 2022 at 12:00 p.m., 3,943 confirmed cases of Monkeypox virus infection have been identified in France, i.e. 110 additional cases since the report of September 12.
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 (2,403, or 61% ), followed by Occitanie (312 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (268 cases) and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (259 cases); 20 cases reside abroad.
For 1,129 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 90 cases over the age of 15 (2.3%) are female. The proportion of female cases has increased over the past few weeks. Among all the confirmed cases declared in week 36, 13.9% are women and 10.4% in week 37 (unconsolidated data). This proportion was 5.7% in week 35, 7.5% in week 34 and 6.3% in week 33. But the number of confirmed cases reported in women remains low (maximum of 16 cases reported in 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, 84 (2.1%) were hospitalized because of their infection with the Monkeypox virus, 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 12, 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 improving knowledge of the disease can reduce the need for treatment by the best-informed populations. Several other countries, particularly in Europe, are seeing similar trends in the number of new cases reported in recent weeks.
Figure 1. Laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases (n=3,923 cases) by region of residence (or by reporting region when region of residence is unknown), France, May-September 2022 (data as of 09/20/2022 – 12:00 p.m.)
Figure 2. Laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox (n=2,838 cases, number of missing data: 1,105) by week of onset of symptoms, France, May-September 2022 (data as of 20/09/2022 – 12:00 p.m.).
The data for the last few weeks (in light blue) are not fully consolidated.
Figure 3. Biologically confirmed cases of monkeypox (n= 3,943 cases) by reporting week, France, May-September 2022 (data as of 20/09/2022 – 12:00 p.m.).
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
Regarding the deployment of vaccination, as of September 20, 2022, 157,952 doses of 3rd generation vaccine have been delivered by the Agency to the territories, 3,560 additional doses will be delivered this week.
As of September 19, 2022, the total number of doses administered is 99,527 (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 936,431 banner clicks and more than 829,050 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 8 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, 7,637 interviews have been carried out on Monkeypox info service.
- 182 interviews were conducted in week 37 (versus 257 in week 36)
- 95% of callers contact the line for themselves
- The topics covered during the interviews remain mainly the means of prevention (at 59%, but down 3 points compared to week 36). These are mainly questions about vaccination and its different methods of access. 39% of callers were referred to a vaccination centre.
- In addition, we note an increase of 5 points compared to week 36 (29% of interviews) of questions relating to psychological and relational aspects (fear of being contaminated, risk of contaminating those around him, etc.).
- Similarly, 26% of interviews address symptoms, up 7 points from week 36 (26% vs 19%). The questions relate to skin reactions to the virus and possible complications.
