The World Health Organization (WHO) says it expects to detect more cases of monkeypox as it expands surveillance to countries where the disease has not yet been identified.
Between 13 May and 21 May, at least 92 laboratory-confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox were reported to the WHO in 12 countries where the virus is not endemic. In non-endemic countries, one case is considered an outbreak.
Eleven countries have reported cases of monkeypox since it was first discovered in 1970: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and the South. Sudan.
By 23 May, five more countries had reported their first confirmed cases, bringing the total number of countries reporting outbreaks this year to 17.
To date, no related deaths have been reported in these countries in the current epidemic.
The following countries have reported newly confirmed cases of smallpox so far this year:
May 13 – May 21
Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
May 22 – May 23
Austria, Denmark, Israel, Scotland and Switzerland.
The Argentine Ministry of Health said it had discovered a suspected case of monkeypox in Buenos Aires, but was still conducting tests. To date, no cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Latin America.
What is monkeypox and what are its symptoms?
Monkeypox is usually a mild virus that causes fever as well as an uneven rash. It is most often transmitted to humans from wild animals, but transmission from humans is also possible.
Human monkeypox was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is called monkeypox because it was first identified in colonies of monkeys that were kept for research in 1958.
The virus is most prevalent in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the symptoms of monkeypox usually include:
- fever
- intense headache
- muscle pain
- back pain
- low energy
- swollen lymph nodes
- rash or lesions
The rash tends to develop first on the face before spreading elsewhere on the body, including the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. They can also be found in the mouth, genitals and eyes.
Symptoms usually last between two and four weeks, with most people recovering from the disease without treatment. Newborns, children and people with underlying immune deficiencies may be at risk of more serious symptoms and death from smallpox.
The monkey measles mortality rate has historically ranged from 0 to 11 percent in the general population and is higher among young children. Recently, the death rate has been approximately 3 to 6 percent.
How does monkeypox spread?
Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal or material infected with the virus.
Monkeypox can be spread from one person to another through close physical contact, including sexual contact.
Rash, body fluids and scabs are particularly infectious. Clothing, bedding, towels or cutlery that have been infected with the virus from contact with an infected person can also infect others.
Ulcers, lesions or sores in the mouth can also be infectious, which means that the virus can be spread through saliva. Therefore, people who interact closely with someone who is infected, including health professionals, household members and sexual partners, are at greater risk of infection.
The virus can also be spread from a pregnant woman to their fetus or from an infected parent to a child during or after birth through skin-to-skin contact.
It is unclear whether infected people whose symptoms are not yet visible can spread the disease.
Treatment of monkeypox
In most cases, the symptoms of monkeypox go away on their own without the need for treatment.
For those who are infected, it is important to take care of the rash or wounds by letting them dry if possible, or cover them with a bandage to protect the area. Both infected and uninfected people should avoid touching wounds.
Mouthwashes and eye drops can be used as long as cortisone-containing products are avoided. Vaccine immunoglobulin (VIG) may be recommended in severe cases. An antiviral agent known as tecovirimate or TPOXX can also be used to treat monkeypox.
Although it causes a less serious disease, smallpox is in the same family as smallpox.
People who have been vaccinated against smallpox are likely to have some protection against monkeypox infection. However, younger people are unlikely to have been vaccinated against smallpox, as smallpox vaccination was stopped worldwide after the infectious disease was globally eradicated in 1980.
There are several vaccines available to prevent smallpox, which also provide some protection against monkeypox.
In 2019, a newer vaccine – MVA-BN, also known as Imvamune, Imvanex or Jynneos – was approved for use against smallpox, although it is not yet widespread.
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