Another day, another impending threat to the human species.
Okay, I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but with the number of monkeys hanging around Clementi and stealing food from us lately, anything monkey-related is just getting on my nerves right now.
That being said, monkeys aren’t actually the main carriers of the virus despite its given name, so maybe my hatred isn’t really justified. Instead, rodents like squirrels, rats, and dormice are the culprit.
Does anyone else find it weird how chickenpox doesn’t come from chickens either?
Whoever’s in charge of naming these infectious diseases should seriously consider another line of work.
WHO Will Be Reviewing If The Virus Constitutes as a Public Health Emergency
As of 20 July, the virus is spreading at a steady rate and has grown to nearly 20,000 cases, and taken five lives, with the latter being solely in Africa.
During the COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday this week, WHO Director-General briefly addressed the monkeypox outbreak in his statement.
“Tomorrow, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee will reconvene to review the latest data, and to consider whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern,” Dr Tedros stated.
“Although we are seeing a declining trend in some countries, others are still seeing an increase, and six countries reported their first cases last week”, he continues.
The WHO has stated that they are working towards providing tailored information to vulnerable and affected communities, using education as the key driver of curbing transmission.
In addition, they will be procuring and shipping tests to these countries and providing adequate support for effective diagnosis, given that some of these nations have largely limited access to diagnostics and vaccines.
Cases in UK and US Continue to Climb
Most cases continue to be reported in Europe, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirming that they had 281 new confirmed Monkeypox cases on 19 July, bringing the national total to 2,137.
Over in the United States, the total affected count stands at 2,108. The state of New York has the most cases, with 581, followed by California at 267, and lastly, Illinois with 200 cases.
Singapore also saw its first ever imported case of Monkeypox last month, which was also the first of its kind in Southeast Asia since the outbreak this year. A second confirmed case was also reported just last week.
You can watch this video to know more about monkeypox in Singapore:
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Anyway, in case you’re unaware, you could get infected if you’ve been bitten, scratched, or come into contact with the animal’s bodily fluids.
Those with its common symptoms such as fever, blisters, and rash, should also avoid attending events and sexual contact with others, health authorities have urged.
For detailed information on the virus, visit the Ministry of Health’s website.
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Featured Image: Shutterstock / Anna Shalam
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