Recently, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy and other countries reported new confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox. The United States and Europe are investigating this and ordering vaccines for prevention.
The BBC reported at least 29 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the above countries as of the 19th.
monkeypox is similar to smallpox, and the main carrier has not been determined
Monkeypox is a rare disease similar to smallpox, mainly in West and Central Africa, but related cases have also appeared in Europe and other parts of the world in recent years, CNN reported on the 19th. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these cases are usually related to cross-border travel or cross-border animal trade.
According to CDC, there is an incubation period of about 7 to 14 days after monkeypox infection. The initial symptoms are usually similar to influenza, such as fever, chills, fatigue, headache and muscle weakness, and then the lymph nodes begin to swell, which is "a feature that distinguishes monkeypox infection from smallpox".
The infected person will have a large area of skin rash on the face and body surface, including the inside of the mouth, palms and soles of feet. The acne causing pain is pearl shaped and full of liquid, and the surrounding skin is usually red in a circle. The CDC said that the lesion finally crusted and healed within two to three weeks. "Treatment is usually supportive because no specific drugs are available. But there are vaccines that can be used to prevent it." Jimmy Whitworth, Professor of international public health at the London School of hygiene and tropical medicine, said in a statement.
It is reported that many experts said that the transmission of monkeypox virus requires close contact with infected people. Neil Mabbott, a lifelong professor of immunopathology at the Veterinary College of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said in a statement that infection occurs after exposure to "damaged skin, mucous membranes, respiratory droplets, infected body fluids and even contaminated sheets". In addition, Dr Michael Skinner, Department of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, said: "when the lesion heals, the virus may also be transmitted after the scab [that may carry the infectious virus] falls off."
"Human to human transmission occurs mainly through large respiratory droplets, and because these droplets usually spread only a few feet, they require long-term face-to-face contact." CDC said that ordinary household disinfectants can kill monkeypox virus.
Monkeypox was first detected in monkeys raised for research in 1958, but the first human case of monkeypox infection was recorded only in 1970. However, the CDC said that although "it is suspected that it points to African rodents", the main vector of monkeypox virus has not been identified. According to the agency, monkeypox reappeared in Nigeria in 2017 after 40 years of no new cases were reported. Since then, Nigeria has reported more than 450 cases and at least eight known cases of transmission abroad.
us and European countries ordering vaccines
CNN reported that on May 18, Massachusetts reported a confirmed case of monkeypox. The patient had previously taken private transportation to Canada. The state public health official said the patient was "in good condition" and "did not pose a risk to the public". "The public health bureau is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, relevant local health committees and patients' health care providers to target close contacts," the agency said in a statement It is reported that 13 suspected cases are under investigation.
On the 19th, Spain reported 7 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Madrid, and another 22 suspected cases are under investigation; Canadian public health officials announced that they were investigating 17 suspected cases of monkeypox in Montreal; Italy also reported the first confirmed case of monkeypox, and two other suspected cases have not been confirmed. Sweden, France and other countries have also reported confirmed or suspected cases.
The BBC reported on the 20th that there are nine confirmed cases in the UK, mainly male patients, which may have been transmitted by local communities. The country reported its first case on May 7, and its health and Safety Bureau revealed that the patient had previously traveled to Nigeria. The World Health Organization (who) said the source of these infections had not been confirmed, but the cases appeared to be "locally infected".
Dr. Vivek Murthy, an American surgeon, pointed out on CNN's new day program on the 19th that in several monkeypox cases in the UK, local health officials and the CDC were worried about this because there was no known travel or source of infection, but there was no reason to panic. "At this time, we don't want people to worry," morsi said. "These [cases] are still very small. We want them to be aware of [these] symptoms. If you have any concerns, please contact your doctor." Michael head, a senior researcher on global health at the University of Southampton in the UK, also said that it is very unlikely to have a large-scale monkeypox epidemic in developed countries. "There will be no covid-19 virus transmission speed."
Ahmed ogwell Ouma, acting director of the African Center for Disease Control and prevention, mentioned at the weekly press conference on the 18th that monkeypox outbreaks have occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Central African Republic, but these outbreaks have been controlled under the covid-19 pandemic. "We are worried about monkeypox cases in many countries outside, especially in Europe." "It would be very useful if information could be shared on the actual sources of these outbreaks," he added
According to the New York Post reported on the 19th, US officials revealed that after the monkeypox case was confirmed, the United States ordered 13 million doses of monkeypox vaccine produced by Bavaria Nordic company. Spain's "El Pais" also reported that although monkeypox vaccine has not been approved in Europe, Spanish health authorities are said to have purchased thousands of smallpox vaccines to deal with the epidemic.
