Health experts are perplexed by a new MonkeyPox outbreak that has spread throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, prompting fears of a larger outbreak.
So far, the majority of infections have been transmitted through sex, with a preponderance among gay and bisexual men. Monkeypox, on the other hand, can infect anyone.
Some of the precautions you may take to lower your chance of catching the virus include proper hygiene and safe sex.
In this artwork from May 23, 2022, test tubes labeled “Monkeypox virus-positive and negative” can be seen.
Health experts are perplexed by a new MonkeyPox outbreak that has spread throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, prompting fears of a larger outbreak.
According to Our World in Data, there were 346 confirmed and suspected cases as of Wednesday in 22 countries outside of Africa, where the virus is widespread.
It’s the first time the virus has been seen in a community. Cases had previously been connected to travel to endemic areas of the virus or imported animals bearing the virus.
The majority of new cases have spread via sex, with a concentration among men who do have sex with other men. The World Health Organization, on the other hand, has warned that anybody could get the infection. Children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are thought to be particularly vulnerable.
“Anyone who comes into close touch with an infectious person is at danger,” the WHO stated in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
Monkeypox is an uncommon disease that is caused by the MonkeyPox virus, which is related to smallpox but is usually milder. Monkeypox immunizations have been found to be 85 % effective against smallpox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday that mass vaccinations are unlikely to be needed to combat the outbreak. However, given the rapidity of the epidemic and the confusion surrounding its source, the public health organization recommended people to practice good personal hygiene and safe sex to aid in the outbreak’s management.
Protecting or save yourself from MonkeyPox Virus
MonkeyPox Alert from World Health Organization (WHO)
While medical authorities agree that the virus poses little risk to the general public, there are a few steps you can do to lower your chances of catching it.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control in the United States, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, and the World Health Organization have all issued recommendations, including:
Avoid contact with someone who has recently been diagnosed with the disease or who may have been infected.
- If you are in close vicinity to someone who is experiencing symptoms, wear a face mask.
- If you’ve recently changed sexual partners, use condoms and pay attention to symptoms.
- Avoid contact with animals that may be infected with the virus.
- This includes animals that are sick or dead, as well as those who have already been infected, such as monkeys, rats, and prairie dogs.
- Hand hygiene is especially important following interaction with diseased — or suspected sick — animals or humans. Wash you’re thoroughly with soap and warm or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- When caring for patients with proven or suspected monkeypox infection, wear personal protective equipment.
- Only eat any meat which has been completely cooked.
- Because MonkeyPox can be spread through surfaces and materials, it’s best to avoid contacting anything that has come into contact with a sick person or animal.
- Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner, stated Monday, “This is a virus that is highly stable outside of the human host, so it can live on objects like blankets and stuff like that.”
- On Wednesday, Emmanuel Andre, a professor of medicine at Belgium’s Ku Leuven University, told World Health Information, “A good practice would be to frequently wash clothing and bedsheets at a high temperature.”
- He did not believe, however, that the general population should begin shunning public places, transportation, shopping, and hotels.
- “The general public does not need to take any additional measures than we do in everyday life,” he stated. “If people are in the rising demographic, they should take extra care if they know they are in a high-risk situation.”
What you do if Monkeypox attack
If you suspect you have monkeypox, you should avoid physical contact with people and seek medical help very away.
Fever, headaches, muscular discomfort, swelling, and back pain are among the first symptoms of monkeypox. Within one to five days, rashes and lesions appear on the face, hands, feet, eyes, mouth, and genitals. Rashes develop into raised bumps, then boils, which may be filled with white liquid before splitting and scabbing.
Symptoms of one of the earliest known instances of the MonkeyPox virus are displayed on a patient’s hand in this handout graphic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dated May 27, 2003.
However, because many of the signs of the virus are easily confused with those of other diseases such as chickenpox, herpes, or syphilis, medical confirmation is essential.
If you have MonkeyPox Virus, you must isolate yourself until the infection has gone. Most people recover in two to four weeks after contracting the sickness.
While medical advice differs by country, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom advises that you’ll need to stay in a specialized hospital to avoid infection from spreading to others.
