Health

Brazil to receive antiviral drug to treat monkeypox

Initially, only the most serious cases will be treated

Karine Melo - Repórter da Agência Brasil

Published on 01/08/2022 - 13:29

Brasília

Tubos de teste positivos varíola dos macacos — © REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Proibida reprodução

Brazil´s Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga announced on Monday (Aug. 1) via Twitter that the country will receive, through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the antiviral drug Tecovirimat to “strengthen the fight against the monkeypox outbreak. More serious cases will be considered at first,” he said.

Tecovirimat has been offered as a “compassionate use” option in the United States. However, there are still no data demonstrating the effectiveness of this antiviral drug for the monkeypox treatment.

Figures

According to data from the Ministry of Health, up to yesterday (31), 1,342 cases of monkeypox had been registered in the country. Last Friday (29) the ministry confirmed the first death caused by the disease in Brazil.

The victim was a 41-year-old man. He was hospitalized in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, and had comorbidities that may have affected his clinical condition. The Ministry of Health is investigating the circumstances of his death.