After the corona virus, normal life in the world has just begun to recover and a new virus has sounded the alarm. The new virus is called Monkey Pox. Although the new virus is not spreading as fast as Corona, medical experts have warned that if it is not stopped in time, the world could face another epidemic.
What is Monkey Pox?
Monkey pox is actually a virus that is mainly transmitted from animals to humans. Monkey pox belongs to the Poxviridae family of viruses. The virus family is further subdivided into 2 subfamilies with 22 species and a total of 83 strains of the virus.
The virus belonging to this virus family also includes smallpox, meaning smallpox, and because of its proximity to symptoms, monkey pox is also called its cousin.
Where did Monkey Pox come from?
The starting point of Monkey Pox is said to be Africa. There are two types of monkey pox in the world, one in West Africa and the other in the countries around the Congo Basin in Central Africa.
The first confirmed case of monkey pox in humans in the world was reported in 1970 in a child in the African Republic of Congo.
What is the role of the monkey in Monkey Pox?
If the name Monkey Pox comes to your mind and you think that its spread includes monkey mischief, then your guess is wrong.
In fact, two monkeys kept in a scientific laboratory in Denmark contracted the disease in 1958, years before the case of Monkey Pox was discovered in humans.
Of course, the source of the virus is not monkeys, nor has the virus been transmitted from monkeys to humans.
If not monkeys, then which animal is responsible for spreading this virus?
Scientists have not yet been able to determine which animal is the stronghold of the monkey pox virus, but African rats have been blamed for its spread.
According to experts, if an animal infected with monkey pox bites a person, punches it or a human comes in contact with its waste and saliva, etc., then the virus is transmitted to human and then the infected human spreads it to other human beings.
What is the rate of transmission of Monkey Pox virus?
According to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website, the rate of human-to-human transmission of monkey pox is between 3.3 percent and 30 percent. However, recent outbreaks of the monkey pox virus in the Congo have been recorded at around 73%.
If a person is infected with the monkeypox virus, they can spread the virus to other people before the symptoms appear. The infected person should not interact with other people for a maximum of 21 days, otherwise the virus can be transmitted.
What are the symptoms of a person infected with Monkey Pox?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the symptoms of monkey pox are similar to those of smallpox, but less severe than smallpox.
Symptoms of monkey pox usually appear within one to two weeks. The infected person first shows symptoms of headache, fever, shortness of breath and then rashes appear on the body like smallpox. The size of these grains may vary depending on the severity of the disease. These grains also have pus and the patient may feel uncomfortable and itchy.
Is Monkey Pox a Deadly Disease?
If the disease gets worse, Monkey Pox can be fatal. Of the two species we have mentioned, the West African variety is less severe than the Congo Basin.
According to the World Health Organization, the death rate from the monkey pox virus found in West Africa is 3.6%, while the death rate from the monkey pox virus in the Congo Basin region is 10.6%. The good news is that so far only cases of low-intensity monkey pox virus have been reported in the United States and European countries.
How is the infected person diagnosed with monkey pox virus?
According to the World Health Organization, the most effective way to test if a person has the monkey pox virus is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. For this purpose, the embryo-filled material in the body of the infected person is used as a sample.
Is there a Monkey Pox vaccine or an effective medicine?
According to the WHO, the smallpox vaccine is usually effective against monkey pox. In addition, a vaccine (MVA-BN) helps prevent monkey pox.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a drug called Tecovirimat also helps prevent monkey pox. It is an approved medicine for diseases like smallpox and monkey pox. However, vaccines and drugs are not widely available, and there may be a shortage if monkey pox continues to spread.
Children, the elderly and people who have not been vaccinated are at higher risk for the virus.
How to avoid monkey pox?
- Take precautions in case of contact with any wild animal, use masks and gloves and take special care of cleanliness.
- If someone in your circle of friends suffers from monkey pox, try not to associate with them. If this is not possible, use masks and gloves and wash your hands and face thoroughly after meeting.
- It is important for a person infected with Monkey Pox to isolate themselves until all symptoms of the disease have disappeared. Thoroughly clean the patient’s used items and dispose of unnecessary items.
- If there are symptoms of itching and fever in the body after traveling to a country, consult a doctor immediately.
- When traveling to countries where monkey pox is found, stay away from sick animals and do not use wild animal meat.
In which countries of the world have cases of Monkey Pox come to light?
Monkey pox is commonly found in a few countries of the world and most of them are African countries. These countries include Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and South Sudan. These are the countries where thousands of cases of monkey pox occur every year. However, this time the concern is that the cases of this virus are coming to the fore in the countries where monkey pox is not found.
As of May 21, 2022, according to the World Health Organization, a total of 92 cases of monkey pox have been reported in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Most cases have been reported in the UK, Spain and Portugal. This is the highest number of monkey pox cases outside Africa since 1970.
In the United States and European countries, Monkey Pox usually comes with people who travel to African countries or import something from there. However, experts are still investigating the cause of the recent wave of the virus.
At least 67 people have been killed between December 15, 2021 and May 1, 2022, according to Monkey Pox. The highest number of 57 deaths so far has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What is the status of Monkey Pox disease in Pakistan?
No case of Monkey Pox has been reported in Pakistan so far but the government of Pakistan has issued an alert in this regard. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) of Pakistan has issued a high alert to the federal and provincial authorities regarding suspected cases of monkey pox and directed to keep a close watch on passengers at all domestic routes and airports of the country.