You probably have heard of chickenpox. But what about monkeypox?
Here’s what this virus is, and why it’s spreading in Europe and the US now.
Why Is It Called Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a virus that causes fever, body aches, enlarged lymph nodes, and painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands and feet.
There are two main strains: the Congo strain which has a 10% mortality rate, and the milder West African strain with a 1% mortality rate.
It is called monkeypox as the first documented cases of the illness came from a colony of monkeys in 1958.
However, monkeys aren’t the main carriers of the virus. Instead, the virus is carried by rodents like squirrels, rats, and dormice.
Most people catch the virus through an animal bite, scratch, or contact with the animal’s bodily fluids.
Very Unusual Virus Outside of Africa
Many health scientists have noted that an outbreak is highly unusual, especially outside of Africa. This is because people typically catch monkeypox from animals in West Africa or central Africa, and import the virus into other countries.
Even then, person-to-person transmission isn’t common, as it requires close contact with bodily fluids.
Additionally, a monkeypox case generally resolves in two to four weeks. This means that any outbreak is usually shut down very quickly. This could be seen in the previous outbreak of the virus in the US, where a shipment of animals in 2003 brought monkeypox to the country.
Some rats and squirrels passed the virus to dogs that were sold as pets, leading to 47 people catching the virus. However, everyone recovered, and nobody spread the virus to another person.
New Route of Transmission, Or More Cases Unreported?
Despite how transmission outside of Africa is highly unlikely, around 68 cases have been found in Europe and the US. And many of these cases have no recent travel to Africa, while even more of these cases have no known connection to each other.
This means that there could be more cases that have gone unreported, and are transmitting the virus around the community. Alternatively, it could mean that another route of transmission unknown to us exists.
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Why Is The Outbreak Happening Now?
The most possible reason behind the rise in cases is the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions that allowed people to travel again.
Additionally, the smallpox vaccine also protects against monkeypox. However, as the smallpox vaccination campaign winded down after it was eradicated in 1980, more people are now vulnerable to monkeypox too.
However, in 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first vaccine for monkeypox. So there may be a way to stop the spreading of the virus if more and more cases are being discovered.
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Featured Image: shutterstock.com / Ekahardiwito
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