In cases of monkeypox encounter, Albania recommends a smallpox vaccination.

In cases of monkeypox encounter, Albania recommends a smallpox vaccination.

According to Albania's Committee of Vaccination Experts, people who have been in close contact with others who have proven monkeypox cases should be allowed to use the smallpox vaccination.

Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, Silva Bino, head of the Institute of Public Health's Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Illnesses, Professor Najada Como, and other doctors and specialists in the field of immunology and diseases make up the board of experts.

"The Committee of Vaccination Experts has decided to make a recommendation allowing persons who have had close contact with verified monkeypox cases to use the smallpox vaccination." "Studies demonstrate that this vaccination protects against monkeypox with an efficiency of 85 percent," Manastirliu stated.

The IPH laboratory is preparing to test for the virus, and collaboration with other reference laboratories is happening, according to Manastirliu.

"Right now, we're coordinating with reference laboratories in London and the Netherlands so that we can transmit any samples we fear are tainted right away," she said.

While Albania is low-risk for the virus and no instances have been reported so far, Manastirliu said it is important to be cautious, adding that employees in local health centres across the country have been trained on what to look for.

Bino stated that, while the virus poses little concerns, people who are at risk, as well as those who come into touch with verified cases, can obtain the smallpox vaccine.

Monkeypox vaccines are orthopoxviruses, which are related to the now-extinct smallpox virus. It's a self-limiting illness with symptoms lasting two to four weeks. The virus has a fatality rate of 3-6 percent, however it is not usually lethal. According to the World Health Organization, transmission occurs through close body contact via bodily fluids, lesions, respiratory droplets, and infected objects such as bedding.

While the disease is endemic in some places, it has already spread globally, with 257 confirmed cases as of Monday.