Geneva, Aug 26 (IANS) The number of newly reported monkeypox cases has decreased worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the week from August 15-21, there were 21 per cent fewer cases than in the previous week, dpa news agency quoted the global health body as saying in a statement issued on Thursday.
In the previous four weeks, the numbers had been rising.
"This decrease may reflect early signs of a declining case count in the European region, which would need to be subsequently confirmed," said the statement.
The European Region includes 53 countries from the EU to Turkey, Turkmenistan, Russia and Israel.
In the North and South America region, however, the numbers continued to rise.
Worldwide, 5,907 cases were reported during the week, compared to 7,477 the week before.
In total, some 41,600 infections and 12 deaths have been reported to the WHO from 96 countries since the beginning of the year.
Presently, the US has the highest number of cases at 15,877.
The number of people killed in a gas pipeline explosion in the Mexican state of Hidalgo last Friday increased to 93, the Minister of Health Jorge Alcocer said on Tuesday.
Indian missions in the United States and Canada have sought security arrangements from local police and authorities as separatist pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has given a call for disrupting the flag hoisting ceremony at the 70th Republic Day function.
Harwinder Singh Dodd, who was working at a convenience store in the US State of Oregon, was racially targeted on Monday by a 24-year-old Andrew Ramsey.
An Indian-American philanthropist and entrepreneur, Gurinder Singh Khalsa, has been presented with the prestigious Rosa Parks Trailblazer award for his campaign that forced US authorities to change their policy towards headgear of the Sikh community.
