Monkeypox cases pass 18,000, says WHO
According to WHO, currently, more than 70 percent of the cases reported are in the European Union and 25 percent in the Americas. So far, countries have reported five deaths and around 10 percent of all patients are in the hospital.
«For all of these reasons, I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern,» WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said on July 23 during a press conference.
According to him, the current risk of Monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region where the risk is high.
«There is also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remains low for the moment,» he added.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox, a rare viral disease, occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa, though it has been exported to other regions. It has not been a concern until this disease spread to non-endemic countries.
It is an orthopoxvirus that causes a disease with symptoms similar, but less severe, to smallpox. While smallpox was eradicated in 1980, monkeypox continues to occur in countries of central and west Africa.
Monkeypox is a zoonosis, which refers to a disease that spreads from animals to people. Near tropical rainforests, where the virus-carrying animals live, cases are frequently discovered. Squirrels, rats taken from Gambian slums, dormice, various monkey species, and other animals have all shown signs of monkeypox virus infection.
Monkeypox is a zoonosis, which refers to a disease that spreads from animals to people. Near tropical rainforests, where the virus-carrying animals live, cases are frequently discovered. Squirrels, rats taken from Gambian slums, dormice, various monkey species, and other animals have all shown signs of monkeypox virus infection.
The longest known chain of transmission between humans was six generations long, which means that the last person to contract the illness in this chain was six links away from the original ill person. Human-to-human transmission is rare. Contact with bodily fluids, sores on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, like those in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets, and infected objects can all result in the spread of the disease.
How is it spread from person to person?
The virus is spread through physical contact with someone who has symptoms. WHO says rashes, body fluids and scabs are particularly infectious as well as Ulcers, lesions or sores, because the virus can spread through saliva.
Despite the fact, that 98 percent of cases so far are among men who have sex with men, anyone exposed can contract monkeypox. Children, pregnant women and immunosuppressed are at higher risk of severe disease.
Fever, a wide recognizable rash, and typically enlarged lymph nodes are the initial symptoms of monkeypox. It's critical to distinguish monkeypox from conditions including chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis, and allergies brought on by prescription medications. The incubation period of monkeypox can range from 5 to 21 days.
Why is monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern?
Addressing the press conference following the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox on July 23, he said there were five elements he had to consider in deciding whether an outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
«First, the information provided by countries – which in this case shows that this virus has spread rapidly to many countries that have not seen it before. Second, the three criteria for declaring a public health emergency of international concern, which have been met. Third, the advice of the Emergency Committee, which has not reached a consensus. Fourth, scientific principles, evidence and other relevant information, which are currently insufficient and leave us with many unknowns. And fifth, the risk to human health, international spread, and the potential for interference with international traffic,» he explained.
How to protect yourself?
WHO recommends limiting contact with people who suspect they are infected. It also recommends wearing a face mask, when close to the infected person, washing hands frequently with soap, cleaning and disinfecting any contaminated surfaces and disposing of contaminated waste.
Can people die from monkeypox?
According to WHO, symptoms can disappear within a few weeks. However, between three and six percent of cases that are reported in countries where it is endemic, it can lead to medical complications and even death, especially for people who are at a higher risk, including newborn babies, children, and people with immune system deficiencies.
Can it be stopped?
He emphasized that monkeypox is an outbreak that «can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.» At the moment, the monkeypox outbreak is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.
The WHO Chief said it is essential for countries to work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, design and deliver effective information and services, and adopt measures that protect the health, human rights and dignity of affected communities. «Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus,» he added.
The organization also recommends targeted vaccination for those exposed to someone infected and those at high risk of exposure, including health workers, laboratory workers and people with multiple sexual partners. Currently, one smallpox vaccine, called MVA-BN, has been approved in Canada, the European Union and the United States for use against monkeypox, while two other vaccines, LC16 and ACAM2000, are currently being considered.
The effectiveness of vaccines, however, is yet to be determined. Therefore, the data from countries that started using vaccines is crucial to understanding their effectiveness.
Written by Assel Satubaldina
Main photo: salamnews.org