In the United States, at least seven monkeypox cases are under investigation, starting with three cases last week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is one US case confirmed so far in a Massachusetts man who recently traveled to Canada.
The United States is one of at least 12 Western countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain, with approximately 200 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox since May. According to the World Health Organization, the disease is usually found in West Africa and Central Africa, but as of Saturday, no association with endemic countries in the current outbreak has been found.
“This is the first time that people who have never traveled to endemic areas of Africa have seen cases in many countries at the same time,” said Rosamund Pike, WHO’s Secretary-General for Smallpox. Live Q & A on Monday.
That said, CDC officials said in a media briefing on Monday that there was no evidence that the virus had changed to become more contagious or that it was widespread in the United States.
“When it comes to risk to the general public, we know that the risk is low, because the current number of cases, all the cases we’ve seen so far, weren’t all that serious,” said Large Punjabi. The doctor said. , Senior Director of Global Health Security and Biodefense at the White House.
How is monkeypox transmitted?
According to the CDC, monkeypox is transmitted through close contact with animals and humans infected with the virus, or through substances contaminated with the virus. The 2003 monkeypox outbreak in the United States occurred in people who had come into contact with infected prairie dogs imported from Ghana.
However, most of the current outbreaks were men having sex with men. Monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but some of the current cases appear to be associated with travel and “probably sexual contact,” said WHO’s HIV, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Program. Advisor Andy Seal said on Monday. “We are still in the early stages of this outbreak, so we still have a lot to learn.”
He also said that monkeypox is “not a homosexual disease …. anyone can get monkeypox through close contact …. sexually transmitted infections can cause coughing and colds. It does not mean that it is a sexually transmitted disease. ” “”
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According to the CDC, human-to-human transmission of monkeypox is thought to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets from long-term face-to-face contact, as droplets cannot move beyond a few feet. Infected humans can also spread the virus through body fluids or when others come into contact with the lesion. Monkeypox causes a rash that spreads until it scabs and falls off. This usually takes 2-4 weeks. (Other symptoms that usually precede a rash include fever, headache, myalgia, and malaise.)
Monkeypox can also be transmitted by contact with substances contaminated with the virus. For example, in a public health announcement to UK users, Grindr, a dating app often used by men who have sex with men, warned that monkeypox could spread through contaminated bedding and adult toys. ..
Monkeypox vs. COVID
Dr. Natalie Hazard, a medical correspondent at NBC News, said on Tuesday that the outbreak “doesn’t have to worry personally about everyday life.” … there are many reasons why this monkeypox situation is not. Like COVID. “
She added that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, is more contagious because one infected person can easily infect more than a dozen others. In addition, unlike monkeypox, which has no asymptomatic infection, a person can be infected with COVID, but is asymptomatic and still spreads.
“Of course, that’s a great relief for all of us,” Hazard said.
At the CDC media briefing on Monday, Dr. Jennifer McKistton, Deputy Director of the CDC’s High-Results Pathogens and Pathology Department, highlighted another way the virus is different. “You will be at risk of monkeypox,” she said.
Who is at risk of monkeypox infection?
The CDC warns the LGBTQ community, but the greatest risk is in close physical contact with people with monkeypox, such as family members, people living in the same household, and healthcare professionals treating infections. It is in the person who came in contact. , According to McQuiston.
In Massachusetts, a group of 200, primarily healthcare professionals, are in close contact with and monitored by monkeypox patients, NBC News reported.
“Infectious diseases do not care about borders or social networks. Some groups may now be more likely to be exposed, but the current risk of exposure to monkeypox is gay and bisexual. It’s not limited to the community, “added Dr. John Brooks, an epidemiologist in the HIV / AIDS Prevention Division at the CDC. , During a media briefing on Monday. “Anyone can develop and spread monkeypox infections.”
There is no specific treatment for monkeypox, but vaccines, antivirals, and other treatments can control the outbreak. There is a stockpile of monkeypox vaccine in the United States, and the CDC is working to distribute it for use in close contact with the virus. Monkeypox can cause serious illness, but the case fatality rate of current strains is less than 1%, Hazard said.
Where is monkeypox investigated in the United States?
In addition to the Massachusetts case confirmed, other cases under investigation in the United States are in the following states and are expected to be confirmed in the next few days.
Additional cases are expected, and on Friday’s health warning, the CDC will immediately treat anyone who develops a “new unexplained rash” on any part of the body, whether with chills or fever. I urged you to leave. From other people.
If you have a rash, within a month before the onset of symptoms, you are a man who has had contact with a person with monkeypox, has had close contact with another man (including gender), or has been in the area. Tell your health care provider if you were there. Monkeypox has been reported.
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