Health authorities are investigating a recent outbreak of cases of monkeypox that have been reported in countries outside Central and West Africa, where the rare disease is endemic. On 21 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 92 confirmed and 28 suspected cases of smallpox. cases from 12 non-endemic countries, including several European nations, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Two cases have been identified in Australia: the first is a 30-year-old man in Victoria, announced by the state health department on May 19.
A second case, a 40-year-old man, was confirmed in NSW the next day. Both had recently traveled to Europe and are now isolated.
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Officials are investigating the likely source of the outbreak, as reported cases so far have no established travel links to Central and West Africa, where the virus is endemic. The WHO expects more cases in the coming weeks, as surveillance is extended to non-endemic countries. Experts say that monkeypox is usually a mild viral infection that spreads through close contact. While the risk to the general population is low and the outbreak “containable,” they say awareness is important as research continues.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the smallpox of the monkey?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis, which is a virus transmitted to humans by animals, including a number of rodents and non-human primates. According to Professor Raina MacIntyre, an epidemiologist at the University of NSW, it is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, but is less clinically severe.
“It is commonly found in animals, including monkeys, but also in other animals, and can sometimes spread from animals to humans, and very occasionally from human to human,” Professor MacIntyre told SBS News.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the subsequent end of smallpox vaccination, the WHO says smallpox has become the “most important orthopoxvirus for public health.” The first case of smallpox in humans was identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a nine-year-old boy, according to the WHO. Smallpox had been wiped out in the region two years earlier. There are two main strains of the monkeypox virus in Central and West Africa. [strain] has a mortality rate of about one percent, which is similar to COVID-19. And the other one has a mortality rate of about 10%, which is similar to the first SARS, “said Professor MacIntyre.
The current outbreak in non-endemic countries appears to be the least severe strain.
How does it spread and what are the symptoms?
Smallpox can be spread to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, according to the WHO. It is transmitted from person to person through close contact with injuries, body fluids, or material contaminated with the virus. The Vice President of the Medical Association of Australia (WADA), Dr Chris Moy, said that unlike viruses such as COVID-19, it requires “a bit of contact, so it’s not something that is spread like wildfire. ” “It’s actually quite difficult to catch. It usually requires very close physical contact with another person infected with it and goes through the skin, broken skin or eyes or nose,” he told SBS News. Dr. Moy said most cases are mild and include symptoms of high fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and body aches and a rash with a smallpox-like blister on the body.
People with monkeypox are usually infectious for up to 21 days, until the lesions heal and the symptoms no longer persist.
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Who is at risk?
People at risk are those who have had close physical contact with an infected person while they are symptomatic. Associate Professor John Blakey, a respiratory doctor at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, told SBS News: “We are all at risk of contracting a virus because we do not have this type of natural immunity.” Cases reported in non-endemic countries have been identified in men who have sex with men. they may be due to positive health research behavior in this demographic, ”he says. Professor Blakey said that this was probably due to the mode of transmission and not to the fact that this community was more or less vulnerable to catching the virus. “It looks like there’s a big spread event … that’s why there seem to be a lot of reports of transmission between men having sex with men,” she said. The United Nations AIDS Agency (UNAIDS) said on Sunday that some reports of monkeypox had used language and imagery that “reinforced homophobic and racist stereotypes”, warning of exacerbating stigma and undermining response to the growing outbreak.
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“Stigma and guilt undermine confidence and the ability to respond effectively during outbreaks like this,” said UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Matthew Kavanagh. Thorne Harbor Health is a community organization that supports LGBTIQ + communities in Victoria. Its director of communications and advocacy policies, Colin Batrouney, said the stories were “handcuffed during the first decades of the HIV and AIDS epidemic with catastrophic effects on both gay men, their loved ones and community in general “. .He said that the impacts of language stigmatization are many. “For some, it reinforces both internalized and externalized homophobia that can have devastating consequences for the mental health and well-being of gay men,” he said. men do not seek a diagnosis or treatment when they need it, which leads to increased transmission and acquisition of the infection. “those who are sexually active or men who have sex with men.
“Anyone who has close physical contact with someone who is infectious is at risk. Anyone who has symptoms that could be monkeypox should seek medical advice immediately,” he says.
To what extent should we be concerned?
At this point, experts advise that the risk to the general population is low, but awareness is important to manage the outbreak. Sylvie Briand, WHO’s Director of Global Preparedness for Infectious Risks, said on Tuesday that while the outbreak was “not normal”, it was. it was “containable.”
“We don’t make a mountain with a mole,” he said in statements to the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
In Australia, Dr Moy said there was currently no need for the general public to panic. “It’s actually more of a medical issue that we need to consider, and hopefully as we get more information, we’ll have a better idea of what we need to do,” he said. “We’ve all been impacted after COVID-19, but I don’t think we’re going to talk about that in terms of monkey pox.” Professor Blakey said people should take simple steps that have already become common practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as keeping a physical distance, being careful with coughing and sneezing, wearing masks. in crowded public places and disinfect your hands.
He said people should also be aware that the virus can also spread by manipulating infected clothing and clothing.
What about a vaccine?
According to the WHO, vaccines used during the smallpox eradication program also provide protection against smallpox, while newer vaccines have also been developed and approved for use against the virus. WHO is working on new guidelines for countries on vaccination strategies and is convening more meetings to support member states with more advice on how to deal with the situation. Some countries are already taking precautions to vaccinate people who may have been exposed to the virus. France and Denmark have begun vaccinating close contacts against the virus, while Germany has requested 40,000 doses. be prepared to deploy a similar strategy if an outbreak in the country becomes more serious. Dr Moy said there was currently no vaccination strategy for monkeypox in Australia, but that if there was a need for it in the future, it would focus mainly on closure. Victory Health Chief Brett Sutton said on Saturday that there were ongoing talks with the Commonwealth about the national medical existence and use of the smallpox vaccine for those who may have been exposed. , along with the potential need to vaccinate a small portion of front-line health workers. He said he will probably be asked to contact someone close to the quarantine virus. Who is considered a close contact and will set a deadline for isolation, he said. The state health department asks anyone who develops symptoms, especially if they have recently traveled abroad or come in contact with a case, to seek medical attention.
With Reuters