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In a world still suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of another disease raises alarm. Monkey pox is a viral infection that has been known for decades, but current cases with it are uncommon, due to its wide geographical spread.
The World Health Organization has said the situation should be taken seriously, but has called for panic, saying the disease is still “controllable”.
“It’s important to understand now that this explosion can be curbed through contact tracking and isolation,” said Rosamund Lewis of the organization.
Leopard monkeys were first discovered in monkeys in 1958 in Africa. The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So far, monkey pox has been concentrated in only a small number of African countries. Cases exported elsewhere have been rare or non-existent.
But in recent weeks, they have appeared quickly in several countries in Europe, the US, Australia and others. Their number has already reached several hundred.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden – whose country bears the heaviest burden of COVID-19, with over one million victims – has said there will be major consequences if the monkey pox continues to spread.
“It’s something that should worry everyone. “We are working hard to understand what we need to do and what vaccine may be available.”
After more than two years of living in a pandemic, the feeling of fear is understandable. But WHO officials say monkey pox is unlikely to create a scenario similar to that of COVID-19, even if more cases are detected.
“With the expansion of supervision, we expect even more cases. But, we must understand that [lia e majmunëve] it is not COVID “, said Maria Van Kerkhove from WHO.
According to the WHO, the classic symptom of monkey pox is rash, which often starts on the face and then spreads to the limbs and other parts of the body. The rash changes and goes through various stages, until it turns into acne, which then rages and falls off.
Other symptoms include fever, headache, swelling, and muscle aches. The disease, according to the WHO, is spread by close contact with an infected person or animal. It has two variants: the Congo variant, which is more severe – with up to 10 percent mortality – and the West African variant, which has a mortality rate of about 1 percent. Current cases – outside the African continent – have been reported as a variant of West Africa.
Unlike COVID-19, which is caused by a young, previously unknown coronavirus, aphids have been found in humans for more than 50 years. It belongs to the smallpox family, which is believed to have existed for at least 3,000 years. So scientists know how it spreads and are convinced it’s different from COVID. close to spreading – in most cases skin to skin. In contrast, COVID can be spread simply by talking to an infected person or sharing the same room. “It seems unlikely that [lia e majmunëve] to transform into a situation similar to COVID, even though I realize this is in people’s heads, due to experiencing the pandemic. [Lia e majmunëve] “It’s a completely different virus, with other clinical manifestations and other transmission patterns,” said Roy. rarely causes severe problems to those affected. ”In some people, very rarely, the disease can be severe and lead to sepsis. Also, you can have large amounts of acne on your skin and this can cause problems. “But for most, the disease is usually mild – so mild that people may not know they are infected with the virus.”
If you become infected with monkey pox, it usually takes five to 21 days for the first symptoms to appear. Therefore, the isolation period for contact cases is recommended to be three weeks. In COVID, symptoms may appear from the second to the 14th day after exposure.
Health experts cannot say for sure what caused the current wave of monkeypox infections. One possible scenario is the increase in travel, following the removal of most of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the likelihood that the monkey’s lion has undergone a mutation, Professor Mabbott explains more:
“Yes, it is possible that the virus has changed in some way, to be more efficient in spreading among people. “Some initial tests have been done on the genome, the genetic material of the monkey pox that is currently circulating.”
“And, these initial studies suggest that there is no strong evidence that the virus has changed. “It does not mean that it did not happen, but the data do not suggest this,” said Mabbott.
Health agencies in some countries that have reported cases of malaria have said that the highest number of infected has been recorded among homosexuals or men who have sex with men. This is also confirmed by Roy, but, according to him, there is still no explanation as to why this happens. The good news, says Roy, is that treatment for aphids exists, as does the one used for smallpox cases.
“We have antivirals that can effectively treat this disease, which have been clinically proven to be successful. “We also have the vaccine,” he said.
Lia and leprosy of monkeys are part of the Orthopox family of viruses. Lia, at one time, has killed millions of people a year. It was eradicated in 1980, through a worldwide vaccination campaign.
According to the World Health Organization, the smallpox vaccine is about 85% effective against monkeypox, although this effectiveness diminishes over time.
Several countries, including the United States, have stored smallpox vaccines as part of strategic reserves and can now use them to curb monkeypox outbreaks.
In Europe, several countries, including Germany and Spain, have ordered or purchased smallpox vaccines. The UK has already started vaccinating healthcare workers, who may be at higher risk of monkey pox.
The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has said that his country is closely monitoring the possibility of quarantining visitors, but not for now.
“It is a very rare disease and, so far, the consequences do not seem very serious. “But it’s important that we follow it, and that’s what the UK Health and Safety Agency is doing,” Johnson said.
The World Health Organization has called on people not to stigmatize those diagnosed with monkey pox. In a statement issued to the media on May 23, the WHO said it had seen messages stigmatizing certain groups of people.
“We want to make it clear that this is not fair, because anyone who has close physical contact – of any kind – with someone who has a monkey line, is at risk, regardless of who he is, what he does or who he chooses. to have sexual intercourse “, said the WHO.
The New York Times, in an article on the monkey line, cited some research, which shows that the chances of humans contracting viruses from animals have increased in recent decades, due to increasing urbanization and deforestation. “Some animals that carry viruses, such as bats and rodents, have increased, while others have expanded or adapted their habitats due to urban development and climate change,” the New York Times wrote.
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