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| Monkey Pox ( Via: IANS) |
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday announced that monkeypox has spread to most countries where monkeypox has never been reported. The WHO said it would soon release guidelines and treatment recommendations as well as vaccines against the spread of monkeypox." The situation is evolving and WHO expects there will be more cases of monkeypox identified as surveillance expands in non-endemic countries," the global health body said.
Monkeypox was reported in Europe on May 7, with 92 cases reported in 12 member states. The WHO said people who have been in contact with monkeypox infected people while they are symptomatic are more likely to be infected.
Can it spread like Covid-19?
Scientists say they do not believe it will spread like Covid-19 and that it is not as easy to transmit as SARSCOV-2. Fabian Leendertz, a researcher at the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, said: "it is very unlikely that this epidemic will last long. The cases can be well isolated via contact tracing and there are also drugs and effective vaccines that can be used if necessary," according to Reuters. However, the WHO chief said he feared the virus would spread to more regions due to the heightened number of parties and public gatherings in the summer months.
There is no specific vaccine for monkeypox, according to the WHO, but data shows that vaccines used to eradicate smallpox are up to 85 per cent effective against monkeypox.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is one of the most common infectious diseases in the human body. In 1970, the first human case of monkeypox was reported. The virus has been detected mostly in the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. Monkeypox is a disease of the Poxviridae family, which includes smallpox and cowpox.
How does the disease manifest itself?
Monkeypox can cause fever, sore throat and large sores around the neck and other illnesses. The infection can last from two to four weeks. The mortality rate of infection can rise to 3-10%. There have been no deaths since the recent discovery.
How is Monkeypox spread?
Monkeypox is transmitted by humans or animals, and can be transmitted by infected objects. It can be spread by birds, insects and insects. The virus is more difficult to transmit than smallpox and causes less illness.
However, health officials have stated that some of these infections may be transmitted through sexual contact. The WHO also stated that it was looking into many cases involving people who identified as gay or bisexual.