TUESDAY, May 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Hundreds of cases of monkeypox reported worldwide are unlikely to turn into a pandemic, but much is still unknown about the disease, Monday said the World Health Organization’s leading expert on disease.
Dr. Rosamund Lewis said it is not understood exactly how smallpox is spreading or whether stopping mass immunization from smallpox decades ago may be somehow increasing its transmission, the Associated Press reported.
What is clear is that the vast majority of cases are found in gay and bisexual men, and this group needs special care, it said in a public session, the AP reported.
“It’s very important to describe this because it seems to be an increase in a mode of transmission that might have been little recognized in the past,” Lewis said.
With the latter cases, he warned, there is a higher proportion of people with more concentrated lesions in the genital region and sometimes almost impossible to see.
“You may have these injuries for two to four weeks [and] They may not be visible to others, but they can still be infectious, “he said, adding that public health officials are not concerned about the rapid spread of the virus.
“At the moment, we are not worried about a global pandemic,” he said. But, “we are concerned that people may acquire this infection through high-risk exposure if they do not have the information they need to protect themselves.”
Last week, the WHO said 23 countries that had not previously seen monkeypox had reported more than 250 cases, and the UK announced 71 more cases on Monday, according to the AP.
It is unknown whether the disease is transmitted by sex or simply through close contact between people who have sex, and the threat to the general population is low, Lewis said. Smallpox can be spread through close physical contact with an infected person, their clothing, or bedding.
While most cases are found in gay and bisexual men, anyone is at risk for smallpox, regardless of sexual orientation, Lewis warned.
Most people affected by monkeypox have a fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illnesses can develop a rash and injuries to the face and hands that can extend to other parts of the body, the AP reported.
More information
Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on monkeypox.
SOURCE: Associated Press