A petition calling for Switzerland to take more action against monkeypox, including vaccinating against the disease, has gathered more than 5,500 signatures, Swiss public television SRF reported on Sunday. Switzerland has recorded almost 400 cases of monkeypox since May 21 this year, the date of the first confirmed case. In comparison to its neighbours, the country now has the highest incidence rate – which measures how quickly disease occurs in a population, said SRF (45.91, compared with under 40 for Germany and France and 11.18 for Italy.) Most of the reported Swiss cases are among gay men. The virus can be transmitted through direct contact with skin and mucous membranes, also during sexual activity. The petition, launched on August 10 by Pink Cross, the Swiss association for gay and bisexual men, wants the Swiss authorities to declare the monkeypox outbreak a “special situation”, which gives the federal government certain powers in context of a public health outbreak.
