39 monkeypox cases registered in Berlin to date

The number of registered monkeypox cases in Berlin has more than doubled in recent days - albeit at a low level.

As of Thursday evening, 39 infections had been registered in the capital, nine patients were in hospital, as a spokeswoman for the health administration announced via Twitter. On Tuesday, Health Senator Ulrike Gote (Greens) had spoken of 18 confirmed cases and seven further suspected cases. The first cases in Berlin became known almost a fortnight ago. According to experts, further infections are to be expected.

65 cases detected nationwide

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 65 cases of monkeypox nationwide on Friday. According to the report, the number of federal states reporting the actually rare viral disease was nine: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt.

Transmission through close body contact

The monkeypox virus is transmitted through close physical contact and especially through the mucous membranes, Gote had explained. "The virus does not differentiate at all according to sexual orientation." The virus is not comparable to the coronavirus, among other things it is not as contagious. Nevertheless, it is important to take the whole thing seriously and to consult a doctor if symptoms or first signs appear. This also applies to contact persons of infected persons because of the tracing of infection chains.

Monkeypox: mostly harmless

Monkeypox is considered a less severe disease compared to smallpox, which has been eradicated since 1980. The symptoms usually disappear on their own within a few weeks, but in some people they can lead to medical complications and, in very rare cases, even death.