Monkeypox: Smallpox has symptoms similar to smallpox, but is far less severe.
New Delhi:
As the risk of monkeypox increases in non-endemic countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the spread of zoonotic disease, which has more than a thousand cases worldwide.
“More than 1,000 confirmed cases of smallpox have already been reported to the WHO in 29 countries that are not endemic for the disease,” said Adros Gebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, adding that no outbreaks have been reported worldwide .
“The risk of smallpox being found in non-endemic countries is real,” said the head of the UN Health Agency.
The “unusual” epidemic of monkeypox in 2022
The monkeypox, first discovered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, is endemic to humans in nine African countries.
“Some countries are now beginning to report cases of apparent community surrender,” the WHO said.
“The difference now is that we see cases in countries that do not usually have cases of monkeypox. This is very unusual,” said WHO expert Dr Rosamund Lewis in a video shared by the World Health Organization.
“We have never seen such a hearth,” she said.
What are the symptoms of #Monkeypox? Who is at risk and how can we protect ourselves? What is the answer to WHO? This and more. ???? WHO Dr. Rosamund Lewis, @PeopleDocGeneva, explains in Science at 5. pic.twitter.com/GFKgBaqPt6
– World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 11, 2022
Symptoms of a “moderate” virus
Initial symptoms of smallpox include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and chickenpox-like rash. Muscle pain, lesions and chills are common symptoms of monkeypox. The virus has a mortality rate of three to six percent, although most people recover within three to four weeks.
“Most people who become infected with the virus do not get seriously ill. However, the risk is described as moderate because it spreads to places where it has never been reported before. So this new pattern of distribution is worrying, “said Dr. Rosamund Lewis.
Do you have to worry? WHO guidelines
Although the WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against the spreading virus, the agency shared guidelines for care, infection prevention and control. Here are the WHO recommendations for monkeypox:
- People with symptoms should be isolated at home and consult a healthcare professional, while family members should avoid close contact.
- Additional precautions must be observed when working with cleaning linen, household surfaces and during patient disposal.
- All patients are advised to abstain from sexual activity until all skin lesions form crusts, scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms underneath.
- High-risk patients – young children, pregnant women and those who are immunosuppressed or have severe or complicated infections – should be admitted to hospital for closer monitoring and clinical care.
- Newborns from infected mothers should be monitored continuously, and infant feeding practices should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
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