Sunday, 13 Oct, 2024
A mpox outbreak that struck in May 2022 expanded quickly and unexpectedly throughout Europe, the Americas, and eventually all six WHO regions. Source: SIMS
Global health officials are concerned about recent outbreaks because of the rapid spread of the virus, especially in African countries.
The World Health Organisation has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international significance after it has badly affected the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa. This is the second time that the virus has been given this classification. WHO statistics show that since 2022, at least 99,176 cases and 208 fatalities from monkeypox have been documented from 116 countries.
The new clade (a particular group of microbes) that is spreading quickly is the source of present concern. This is the clade (lb), which is primarily spread by sexual activity. Another clade (Ia), which is primarily spreading in children through a variety of routes of transmission, has a high risk assessment as well.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
A rare viral illness known as monkeypox, or mpox, is mostly spread from animals to humans. While its symptoms are similar to smallpox, they are usually less severe. The virus is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, which is also responsible for cowpox and smallpox. Since the disease's initial discovery in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it has spread to other nations in Central and West Africa. Usually, intimate touch with an infected animal or person or contact with contaminated items is how monkeypox spreads.
Monkeypox typically takes six to thirteen days to incubate, but it can take up to three weeks. Fever, severe headache, aches in the muscles, and back discomfort are some of the early symptoms. A rash that usually starts on the face and moves to other areas of the body subsequently appears. Direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or skin lesions, as well as contact with contaminated bedding or clothing, can all result in the transmission of monkeypox. The virus can also be transmitted from animals to humans through bites, scratches, or the consumption of undercooked meat.
Global Cases
Global health officials are concerned about recent outbreaks because of the rapid spread of the virus, especially in African countries. A new mpox strain that has caused a spike in cases and fatalities in nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Rwanda prompted the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to declare a public health emergency in August 2024. Part of the reason for the mpox's increased spread is that the illness is zoonotic—it starts in animals and spreads to humans.
Since mpox can resemble other illnesses or conditions, diagnosing it can be challenging. Differentiating mpox from other sexually transmissible illnesses, scabies, herpes, measles, bacterial skin infections, chickenpox, and medication-associated allergies is crucial. A person who has mpox may also be infected with herpes or another sexually transmitted virus. On the other hand, a child who exhibits symptoms of chickenpox could potentially develop mpox. Testing is essential in order to ensure that individuals receive treatment as soon as feasible and to stop the spread of the disease.
The recommended laboratory test for mpox is polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of viral DNA. The best diagnostic samples are obtained by rigorous swabbing of the skin, fluid, or crusts straight from the rash. Oropharyngeal, anal, or rectal swabs can be used for testing in the absence of skin lesions. It is not advised to test blood. Since antibody detection techniques cannot distinguish between distinct orthopoxviruses, they may not be helpful.
Following 1970, mpox intermittently appeared in West Africa (clade II) and Central and East Africa (clade I). Imported wild animals were connected to an outbreak in the United States of America in 2003. In the DRC, hundreds of suspected cases have been recorded annually since 2005. In Nigeria, mpox resurfaced in 2017 and is now spreading among citizens and among tourists visiting other countries.
A mpox outbreak that struck in May 2022 expanded quickly and unexpectedly throughout Europe, the Americas, and eventually all six WHO regions. About 87,000 cases and 112 deaths were reported from 110 nations. The worldwide pandemic has predominantly (but not only) impacted gay, bisexual, and other men who are in relationships with other men. It is transmitted from person to person via sexual networks.
As of June 2024, the number of monthly reported new cases has decreased by 3 percent, compared to the previous month. The majority of cases reported in the past month were notified from the African Region (60.7 percent) and the Region of the Americas (18.7 percent).
The 10 most affected countries globally since 1 January 2022 are: United States of America (33,191), Brazil (11,212), Spain (8,084), France (4,272), Colombia (4,249), Mexico (4,124), The United Kingdom (3,952), Peru (3,875), Germany (3,857), and Democratic Republic of the Congo (2,999). Together, these countries account for 80.5 percent of the cases reported globally.
