More than 19,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 76 countries, including 18,800 in 70 countries that haven’t historically reported monkeypox cases, the CDC data shows. Health officials advise that anyone can get the virus through intimate physical contact, despite the fact that the majority of cases so far have been among gay and bisexual men.
The first case in the current outbreak was identified by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on May 7 in a man who had just visited Nigeria, where monkeypox is an endemic disease. The virus then appeared to have spread locally in all four cases among gay and bisexual men and two more cases among people who live together. 70 confirmed cases in England and one in Scotland have been reported to UKHSA as of May 23.
Even though it’s most prevalent in Central and West Africa, sporadic cases have been documented in Europe and other places, frequently involving visitors. The present outbreak is the biggest outside of Africa that has ever been recorded.
Susan Cole of NAM aidsmap speaks with Dr. Laura Waters, chair of the BHIVA, and Harun Tulunay, who discusses his experience being hospitalized with severe monkeypox.
Monkeypox cases have increased over the past few decades after systematic smallpox immunization was stopped; the WHO declared that smallpox had been eradicated worldwide in 1980. The smallpox vaccine also prevents monkeypox. This indicates that vaccine-induced immunity only exists in older individuals.
Monkeypox often results in flu-like symptoms (such as fever, exhaustion, and muscle aches), swollen lymph nodes, and a rash. It is less severe than smallpox. The rash may develop anywhere on the body, including the face, genitalia, palms, soles of the feet, and other areas. The lesions may resemble other disorders like herpes, syphilis, or chickenpox and might be flat, elevated, or pus-filled. In the current outbreak, a vaginal rash was the primary symptom in a number of instances, and some people did not report any other symptoms. The disease normally lasts two to four weeks and the virus has an incubation period of up to three weeks.
Skin-to-skin contact and kissing are two close personal contact behaviors that can spread the monkeypox virus. Health care professionals and home members may have close contact. Clothes or linens that have come into touch with sore fluid or the virus can spread to such items. Despite the fact that monkeypox can spread through respiratory droplets at close range, unlike the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that produces COVID-19, monkeypox does not appear to move through the air over long distances.
It is unknown if monkeypox can be transferred through semen during sex because it is typically not regarded as a sexually transmitted disease. According to Dr. John Brooks, an epidemiologist with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox can be spread through sexual and personal contact but is not a sexually transmitted infection in the traditional sense.
In the past, experts believed that human-to-human transmission was difficult to achieve, therefore it is unclear why monkeypox is currently spreading more widely. Although some have hypothesized that the virus may have changed over time to become more easily transmissible, genetic sequencing to yet does not support this theory. More probable, the virus accidentally infiltrated a social or sexual network and discovered conducive circumstances for spread.
Health experts advise anyone who develops an odd rash or lesions on any region of their body—especially the genitalia—to get in touch with a sexual health clinic or their doctor. It is advised that those who think they may have monkeypox avoid close social interaction until they have been tested. High-risk contacts of confirmed cases should be isolated and keep a 21-day self-monitor for symptoms. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommends isolation, refraining from sexual activity, and avoiding close physical contact for those who have been diagnosed with monkeypox (ECDC).
