Global health officials have alerted to the growing incidence of monkeypox in Europe and elsewhere, a type of viral infection more common in West and Central Africa.
As of Friday, about 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed and another 50 are under investigation in 11 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The following is known about the current epidemic and the relative risk of monkeypox:
The risk to the general public is low at the moment, a U.S. public health official told reporters at a briefing on Friday.
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Monkeypox is a virus that can cause symptoms, including fever, pain, and manifests itself with a distinctive uneven rash.
It is associated with smallpox, but is usually milder, especially the West African strain of the virus, which has been identified in a case in the United States that has a mortality rate of about 1%. Most people recover completely in two to four weeks, the official said.
The virus is not as easily transmitted as the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the global COVID-19 pandemic.
2:08 Scientists try to identify the origins of monkeypox cases found in Canada Scientists are trying to identify the origins of monkeypox cases found in Canada
Experts believe that the current monkeypox epidemic is spreading through close, intimate skin when in contact with someone who has an active rash. This should make it easier to limit its spread once infections are identified, experts said.
“COVID is spread by the respiratory tract and is highly contagious. That doesn’t seem to be the case with monkeypox, “said Dr. Martin Hirsch of Massachusetts General Hospital.
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Many – but not all – of the people diagnosed in the current monkeypox epidemic are men who have sex with men, including sauna cases in Spain in the Madrid region.
Are health experts concerned?
Recent outbreaks reported so far are atypical, according to the WHO, as they occur in countries where the virus does not circulate regularly. Scientists are trying to understand the origins of the current cases and whether anything about the virus has changed.
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Most of the cases reported so far have been found in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal. There have also been cases in Canada and Australia, and one case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Boston, with public health officials saying more cases are likely in the United States.
WHO officials have expressed concern that more infections could occur as people gather for festivals, parties and holidays in the coming summer months in Europe and elsewhere.
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0:28 Rusen says “no monkey cases investigated” Rusen says “no monkey cases investigated”
How can people protect themselves from infection?
The United Kingdom has started vaccinating healthcare professionals who may be at risk while caring for patients with the smallpox vaccine, which can also protect against monkeypox. The U.S. government says it has enough smallpox vaccine stored in its Strategic National Reserve (SNS) to vaccinate the entire U.S. population.
Read more: WHO is working on more guidelines for monkeypox as cases increase, says adviser
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There are antiviral drugs for smallpox that can also be used to treat monkeypox in certain circumstances, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.
More generally, health officials say people should avoid close personal contact with someone who has a rash or who is otherwise unwell. People who suspect they have monkeypox should isolate themselves and seek medical attention.
What can be hidden behind the peak in the cases?
“Viruses are nothing new and expected,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Organization for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Rasmussen said a number of factors, including increased global travel and climate change, have accelerated the emergence and spread of viruses. The world is also on the lookout for new outbreaks of all kinds since the COVID pandemic, she said.
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(Report by Michael Hermann, Additional reports by Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover in London; Edited by Michelle Gershberg and Bill Bercrot)
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