Monkeypox cases reported in several countries

On May 18, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said it had confirmed that a resident had contracted the monkeypox virus, which was the first case of monkeypox infection in the United States this year.

The U.S. Department of Public Health in Massachusetts stated that it is working with the CDC and relevant local boards of health to track down contacts of the confirmed case, adding that the patient is being hospitalized in good condition and poses no health risk to the public. The patient is known to have traveled to Canada in late April to meet a friend and returned in early May, during which time he traveled by private transportation. The Public Health Agency of Canada said in a statement later on the 18th that it is closely monitoring the emergence of monkeypox cases in Europe, adding that no confirmed cases have been reported in Canada.

On May 18, the UK Health and Safety Executive issued a communiqué saying that there were two more human cases of monkeypox in the country. A total of nine cases have been confirmed so far. The World Health Organization announced that evening that more cases of monkeypox are likely to emerge in the UK. The UK Health and Safety Executive reported two new cases of monkeypox in London and southeast England. Between May 6 and 15, seven cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the United Kingdom. The most recently identified cases in the country have not traveled to countries where monkeypox is endemic and may have been contracted through community transmission.

Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser to the UK Health and Safety Executive, said the case was “rare and unusual” and that “these latest cases, as with case reports from various European countries, confirm our initial apprehensions that monkeypox may be community-transmissible”.

WHO issued a bulletin on the 18th associated with the UK monkeypox cases, saying that the source of infection in these cases has not been confirmed, based on known information, the infection appears to have occurred in the UK, but it is uncertain to what extent the monkeypox virus is spreading in the UK mainland, with the possibility of finding more cases. WHO recommended that the United Kingdom continue to strengthen public health measures.

In addition, on May 19, the health authorities of the Spanish region of Madrid reported that seven cases of monkeypox had been confirmed in the region of Madrid, and another 22 suspected cases of monkeypox infection were to be confirmed by research. Zapatero, deputy minister of public health of the Spanish region of Madrid, said that in the coming days, the region will certainly appear more cases of monkeypox infection. All cases of monkeypox infection or suspected cases in the region are now in good condition, and there is no evidence that the spread of monkeypox is related to the spread of the COVID-19.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans through close contact, although it is not easily transmitted from person to person, but can be contracted through close contact with an infected person. The monkeypox virus was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, hence the name monkeypox, but now rodents are also considered as a possible primary animal host.

In 1970, the first human case of monkeypox was detected in the DRC. Since then, there have been several outbreaks of monkeypox in West African countries.

Mode of transmission of monkeypox virus

The primary mode of transmission of the monkeypox virus is through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin, or mucosal wounds of infected animals. Secondary transmission among humans is primarily due to close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions, or objects contaminated with body fluids or diseased tissues of the patient (e.g., clothing and bed linens stained with fluid from the patient’s rash after rupture). Monkeypox virus can be present in respiratory droplets, but usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact for transmission.

What are the symptoms of monkeypox infection?

Monkeypox can have an incubation period of 5 to 21 days. In the early stages of the disease, patients exhibit symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes. Usually, within 1-3 days after the onset of fever, patients develop a rash of varying intensity that spreads from the face to other parts of the body. The rash evolves from an initial flat papular rash to small fluid-filled blisters to pustules, which crust over after about 10 days and take about three weeks for the crusts to disappear completely. When the rash appears, the patient is contagious. WHO states that the monkeypox virus has a West African evolutionary branch and a Congo Basin evolutionary branch. Mortality rates of about 1% have been documented for the West African branch of the virus and possibly up to 10% for its Congo Basin branch.

How can I prevent the monkeypox virus?

Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus. Also, we should avoid contact with animals that may carry the virus. In addition, after contacting an infected person or animal, you should wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and wear protective gear when caring for a patient. Because monkeypox virus and smallpox virus belong to the same virus family, vaccines against smallpox virus are also effective in protecting against monkeypox virus, and the effectiveness of smallpox vaccination in preventing “monkeypox” is about 85%.

What should I do if I get infected with monkeypox?

Most infected people will recover within a few weeks, but it can be the case that an infected person becomes severely ill. Severe patients may also die, depending on the level of virus exposure, the patient’s health status, and the severity of complications. The treatment for monkeypox is not yet proven safe, although the smallpox vaccine, antiviral drugs, and cowpox immunoglobulin may be used if an outbreak is to be controlled.

By Shiyue Luo