As of last Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed more than 3,400 recorded cases of monkeypox worldwide, with one linked death. The bulk of these cases originated in Europe. In a report released on Monday, the WHO stated that since June 17, 1,310 new cases—including instances of monkeypox—had been recorded to the UN agency for health.
Even though WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his grave worry about the epidemic, the WHO decided last week not to designate monkeypox a public health emergency of international significance. The WHO admitted that there were still a lot of questions regarding the epidemic.
At a statement, Tedros said, “I am genuinely worried about the outbreak of monkeypox; this is obviously a developing health hazard that my colleagues and I in the WHO Secretariat are following particularly closely.
Five facts about monkeypox:
- A big DNA virus of the orthopoxvirus family, monkeypox. The monkeypox virus, which is linked to smallpox but exclusively affects humans, is present in some areas of Africa in rats and other animals.
- Although orthopoxviruses don’t change much, the virus causing the present outbreak has undergone a number of changes. At least two distinct strains have been going around in the US.
- Because the incubation period for monkeypox typically lasts between 6 to 13 days, it typically takes 8.5 days from infection to the onset of symptoms.
- The monkeypox rash often resembles erupting, fluid-filled blisters. While they have the rash and for approximately two weeks afterward, they are contagious.
- 85% of those who have previously had a smallpox vaccination are protected against monkeypox, according to specialists cited in the media.
