Of these sixteen cases, twelve were reported in Ile-de-France, the Paris region.

The previous assessment reported seven “proven” cases, according to the Minister of Health Brigitte Bourguignon on Wednesday.

Ms. Bourguignon had indicated that the authorities did not expect an “outbreak” of the disease, and that the country had sufficient stocks of vaccines for people with contact cases.

The Directorate General of Health told AFP on Friday that the first two people, considered to have had risky contact with a monkey pox patient, were vaccinated in Paris.

Faced with cases of monkey pox, in an opinion issued on Tuesday, the High Authority for Health recommended the vaccination of adults, including health professionals, who have had risky contact with a patient.

Monkey pox (“monkeypox” in English) or “simian orthopoxvirosis” is a disease considered rare, known in humans since 1970. It is caused by a DNA virus.

pcl / cel / swi / oaa