Monkeypox is an infection caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox. It causes a similar (though usually less severe) illness and is most common in central and western Africa. It was first discovered in research monkeys more than half a century ago. Certain squirrels and rats found in Africa are among other animals that harbor this virus.
Four more cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the UK, bringing the number of people in the country known to have the disease to seven.
The cases are being used at St Thomas’ Hospital in London and so far common contacts have only been recognized between two of the four patients.
Monkeypox is a scattered infection usually spread by wild animals in central or west Africa. The chances of engage it in the UK are minimal and it infrequently spreads between people, although it is possible.
How do you catch monkeypox
It can be caught from infected wild animals, particularly examinee such as rats, mice and squirrels.
You can be infected by an animal bite or if you come into contact with an animal’s blood or bodily fluids.
It may be possible to catch monkeypox by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been properly cooked.
Human-to-human transmission can occur through touching the towels or bedding of a patient, touching Monkeypox blisters or via coughs and sneezes.
What are the symptoms of Monkeypox
It takes between five and 21 days for initial symptoms to appear.
These include:
- high temperature
- headache
- muscle ache
- backache
- swollen glands
- shivering and chills
- exhaustion
The monkeypox rash is a secondary symptom, usually starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body.
Symptoms usually clear up in two to four weeks.
How to avoid catching monkeypox
Here are some points that are avoid to catching monkeypox :
Do wash your hands with soap and water regularly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
Do ensure meat you are eating has been cooked thoroughly
- Do not go near wild or stray animals, including carcasses
- approach any animals that appear ill
- Do not eat or touch meat from wild animals
- Do not share bedding or towels with people who are unwell and may have monkeypox
- Do not have close contact with people who are unwell and may have monkeypox
Only a few people have been diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK. These people had all travelled to west Africa or were close contacts of someone who had travelled to that region.
Health professionals in the UK will contact people who have been in close contact with monkeypox patients.
Do wash your hands with soap and water regularly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
Can monkeypox be treated?
Yes, Although there are no specific, FDA-approved treatments for monkeypox, several antiviral medicines may be effective. Examples are cidofovir, brincidofovir, and tecovirimat.
What else is unusual about this outbreak?
Many of those who are sick have not traveled to or from places where this virus is usually found, and have had no known contact with infected animals. In addition, there seems to be more person-to-person spread than in past outbreaks.
Is there any good news about monkeypox?
Yes, Monkeypox usually is contagious after symptoms begin, which can help limit its spread. One reason COVID-19 spread so rapidly was that people could spread it before they knew they had it.
Outbreaks occur sporadically, and tend to be relatively small because the virus does not spread easily between people. The last US outbreak was in 2003; according to the CDC, nearly 50 people in the Midwest became ill after contact with pet priarie dogs that had been boarded near animals imported from Ghana.
Perhaps the best news is this: unlike SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, monkeypox is unlikely to cause a pandemic. It doesn’t spread as easily, and by the time a person is contagious they usually know they’re sick.
