6 minutes agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
- copy link
Several cases of monkeypox have been reported in about 10 African countries including Kenya, Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern about this. There is a fear that this viral infection can spread to all African countries and other countries of the world. According to reports, WHO can declare monkeypox a global emergency after its official meeting.
Monkeypox is a viral disease similar to smallpox. Cases of this virus have increased by 160% this year after a sudden surge in infections in African countries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 70% of cases in Congo have been in children under the age of 15. Children have been disproportionately affected by the current outbreak in Africa. Up to 85% of all deaths in Congo have been among children under the age of 15.
WHO is also concerned because different outbreaks of monkeypox have seen varying mortality rates. Sometimes it has been more than 10%. It can prove to be more dangerous because it is an infectious disease.
Today ‘Health report’ I will talk about monkeypox. Also, we will know that-
- What are its symptoms?
- How is monkeypox spread?
- What is its treatment?
- What are the measures to prevent this?
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus. It is also called ampox. It causes rashes and flu-like symptoms. This virus is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus family, which is also responsible for smallpox.
Apart from this, it can also spread through infected animals such as monkeys, rats and squirrels. If this virus is on bed, clothes or any surface, then it can also spread by coming in contact with them.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox
- It may take several days or a few weeks for symptoms to appear after someone is exposed to the virus.
- Symptoms usually appear 3 to 17 days after exposure. The time between when a person is exposed to the virus and when symptoms begin to appear is called the incubation period.
- The symptoms of monkeypox usually last for 2 to 4 weeks.
- The earliest symptom of monkeypox is fever. Then about 1 to 4 days after the fever starts, a rash begins to appear on the skin.
- The rash that comes out in this often appears on the face first. After this, it appears on the hands or feet and then spreads to other parts of the body.
- However, in cases associated with the outbreak that began in 2022, the rash often began in the genital area. Some people had rashes starting in the mouth or throat.
- The monkeypox rash goes through several stages. The initial flat rash turns into blisters. These blisters then fill with pus. They then form a scab and dry up over a period of 2 to 4 weeks.
- These rashes can appear anywhere on the mouth, face, hands, feet, penis, vagina or anus. Sometimes they also appear in the throat.
- Monkeypox can be spread by an infected person from the time your symptoms begin to appear until your rash and scabs have healed. It can also be spread by an infected person before you develop symptoms.
Symptoms may vary from person to person
- Not everyone who gets monkeypox develops all the symptoms. Usually, infected people go through a variety of symptoms.
- Only rashes appear on the skin, no other symptoms are visible. Sometimes some symptoms develop later.
- It causes flu-like symptoms, then a rash appears. Some people do not develop a rash at all despite being infected with monkeypox.
- In some people, the rash can be widespread, that is, it appears all over the body and is very large in size. While in others, only a few bumps or blisters appear.
- Some people may not even know they have monkeypox infection. This is because some people do not develop symptoms. However, it is possible that infected individuals can spread it to others through close contact.
Who does monkeypox affect?
This virus can affect anyone. However, in most cases in Africa, children under the age of 15 were more vulnerable. One reason for this could be that most adults had already received smallpox vaccines that are effective against monkeypox. However, these could not be given to children.
Outside Africa, cases of the disease were most prevalent among men who had sex with other men, although the virus also spread among people who were not bisexual or gay.
What is the treatment for monkeypox
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is currently no specific treatment available for monkeypox infection. However, with the help of some medicines, its spread can be controlled.
- There are already some medicines available in the market that are approved for use in the treatment of monkeypox and have been largely effective against the disease.
- Cidofovir, ST-246, and vaccinia immunoglobulin are commonly used for its treatment.
Is there any way to prevent monkeypox?
There are many vaccines that can protect us from the monkeypox outbreak. Some vaccines have been developed specifically for this, while some vaccines were developed for smallpox, which are effective in preventing it.
- There is also a JYNNEOSTM vaccine available in the market to prevent monkeypox, which can be found under the name Imvammune or Imvanex.
- It is used extensively in Africa. Data shows that this vaccine is up to 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.
- A smallpox vaccine called ACAM2000 has also proven to be quite effective in preventing it.
- According to the World Health Organization, the immunity of people who have been vaccinated against smallpox is quite effective in protecting against the monkeypox virus.
- The problem is that due to the smallpox infection being stopped, its vaccination was stopped in many countries about 40 years ago. In such a situation, people here can be affected by it.
