Monkeypox outbreak: As total cases rise to 780, here are signs and symptoms to watch out for
So far, around 780 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus have been reported to or identified by the global health agency.
New Delhi: As many as 780 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported or identified since May 13 and as of June 2 in 27 countries that are not endemic for the virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. Monkeypox, a virus that belongs to the same virus family as smallpox, is mostly found in remote areas of central and west African countries near tropical rainforests. Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 1,200 cases of monkeypox in those areas.
There are two strains of the virus known to exist: west African and central African, with the milder west African strain now circulating in other parts of the world.
Here's all you need to know about the monkeypox virus:
What is monkeypox virus?
What are symptoms of monkeypox disease?
Symptoms and signs of monkeypox include headache, skin rash, fever, body aches, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion. It, notabbly, causes symptoms that are similar to smallpox but less severe.
The time between infection and the onset of symptoms, known as the incubation period, can range from five to 21 days.
Transmission of monkeypox virus
The monkeypox virus can be transmitted to humans through close skin contact, air droplets, bodily fluids, and virus-contaminated objects.
The majority of recent cases of monkeypox in the United Kingdom and Canada have been reported among men who have sex with men who attend sexual health services at health clinics.
What to do if you contract monkeypox virus?
If you think you have been exposed to the monkeypox virus, you should immediately contact your doctor for further instructions. You should also keep an eye out for symptoms for 21 days after your initial exposure.
Also, check your temperature at least twice a day and isolate yourself at home for 24 hours if you have chills and swollen lymph nodes but no fever or rash.
Monkeypox prevention
A person should avoid contact with animals that may be infected with the virus (including animals that are sick or that have been found dead in areas where monkeypox occurs).
A person should also avoid coming into contact with any materials that have been in contact with a sick animal, such as bedding.
How long does monkeypox illness last?
The illness due to the monkeypox disease usually clears up in two to four weeks. It can be fatal, especially in children who have been exposed to a large amount of the virus, as well as in people with other health problems or weakened immune systems.
Thousands of lesions can grow together and cause the loss of large sections of skin at once in some cases. Death is unusual, but it is possible.
Is there a vaccine against monkeypox?
Are bisexual men at higher risk?
Which countries have so far reported monkeypox cases?
As of June 2, 2022, 780 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox had been reported to or identified by WHO from 27 Member States spread across four WHO regions where the monkeypox virus is not endemic.
So far, the majority of reported cases have been presented through sexual health or other health services in primary or secondary health care facilities, and have primarily, but not exclusively, involved men who have sex with men.