Cases of monkeypox are occurring in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, which raises concerns about the further transmission of the monkeypox virus.
Health officials in Spain issued a national signal today “to ensure a swift, coordinated and timely response” after eight men began showing symptoms of a viral infection.
These cases have not yet been officially confirmed, and a spokesman for the Madrid Regional Health Department said the National Microbiological Center was working to determine the final diagnosis.
The United Kingdom said on Monday it had found four more cases of monkeypox, bringing the total to seven in the country. The first case in the UK was opened on May 4.
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Five cases of monkeypox have been detected in Portugal, and 15 more have been tested. National authorities said all those affected were in stable condition and that all 20 cases were among men living in Lisbon and the Tagus Valley.
Fernando Simon, an epidemiologist who runs an emergency health center in Spain, said monkeypox was unlikely to spread significantly, but a wider transmission “cannot be ruled out.”
The UK Health Security Agency said in a press release that monkeypox was “usually a mild self-limiting disease” that did not spread easily.
“The risk to the UK population is low.”
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What is monkeypox?
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The organization says that after one to three days of fever, monkey sufferers can develop a rash on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body such as lesions that later disappear.
The incubation period for monkeypox is usually seven to 14 days, but can vary from five to 21 days.
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Although there is no cure for the virus, most people recover from a monkeypox infection within a few weeks. In Africa, where the disease is most prevalent, up to one in 10 people die from the virus.
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How is it transmitted?
“Generally, monkeypox is spread through respiratory transmission, but the characteristics of the eight suspected cases point to contact with fluids,” said a spokesman for the Madrid Health Department.
“The eight suspects in Madrid are among men who have sex with men. They are doing well, but this disease may require hospital treatment. “
Matteo Prohazka, an epidemiologist on infectious diseases at the UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA), confirmed that four people who had been diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK were gay or bisexual. Prohazka says this indicates that the disease has “spread on sexual networks.”
“This is further suggested by the fact that common contacts have been identified in only 2 of the last 4 cases,” he added on Twitter. He said acquiring the disease through sexual contact “is a new way of transmission”.
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However, the high proportion of cases in the current epidemic in England that are gay or bisexual (4/7, 57%) strongly suggests the spread of sexual networks.
This is evidenced by the fact that common contacts have been established in only 2 of the last 4 cases.
– Mateo Prohazka (@teozka) May 17, 2022
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Prohazka emphasizes that monkeypox is spread through close contact and there is not enough evidence to prove that the virus has become a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
“Close contact between two people (such as during sex) could also facilitate transmission, but this has never been described before.”
UKHSA warns gays and bisexual men to be “aware” of any rashes or lesions and recommends that you contact a sexual health clinic if symptoms occur.
The CDC says monkeypox can also be transmitted from animals to humans through bites, scratches, cooking bush meat and direct contact with body fluids or lesions.
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Why is monkeypox coming back?
Monkeypox was first identified in 1958 after researchers identified two outbreaks of measles-like disease among monkeys they used as test subjects. The first case of human monkeypox did not occur until 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the CDC.
Since then, monkeypox has been found in several other Central and West African countries.
The first case of monkeypox, which appeared in Europe during this last outbreak, occurred in the United Kingdom on May 4. A man may have contracted the virus in Nigeria and flew to the United Kingdom
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The first time human monkeypox was reported outside of Africa was during a 2003 epidemic in the United States. Forty-seven people became infected or were suspected of being infected with monkeypox after contact with infected prairie dogs.
Jennifer McQueston, a senior CDC official, said the department is considering issuing a health warning to medical professionals and clinics in the United States.
“There are many trips between the United Kingdom and the United States and other global areas. So I think our concern is that given that you have four cases of men having sex with men, we should probably think about reports to our STI clinics … what to look out for, what to look for we are careful, “she told STAT News.
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“This is certainly a population that has been stigmatized in the past for sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. And I think we’ve learned a little bit from that experience of how to approach it with the kind of sensitivity it requires, “she said.
Prohazka also speaks of the need to keep in mind the rhetoric surrounding monkeypox, which can lead to stigma.
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There is still a lot of work to be done, especially on the rapid protection of human health + health workers, implementing a response that works closely with sexual health services, and tackling discourses that reinforce inequalities and stigma.
– Mateo Prohazka (@teozka) May 17, 2022
McQueston confirmed that there are currently no cases of monkeypox in the United States, but six Americans are watching for symptoms as they have been on the same flight as the man, which is the first case in the United Kingdom.
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