The Worth Health Organization (WHO) will hold an emergency meeting to decide whether the monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
This is the highest level of warning from the agency, which currently only applies to the COVID-19 pandemic and polio.
Scientists are struggling to understand what is driving the current outbreak, its origins and whether anything has changed about the virus.
What is the smallpox of the monkey?
Smallpox is a similar virus, but less serious than smallpox.
It was first discovered in 1958 in monkey colonies, which gave the disease its name.
The first case of smallpox in a human was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Smallpox is mainly found in West and Central Africa and has so far spread to other places.
There are two known clades (subtypes) of monkeypox:
- West Africa (WA)
- Congo Basin (CB)
The WHO says clade CB appears to be more severe and has higher mortality rates.
Why does the WHO change its name?
The WHO says it is working with experts to officially change the name of the monkeypox in the midst of concerns about stigma and racism around the name of the virus.
The most recent cases of smallpox have disproportionately involved gay and bisexual men.
There has already been a homophobic backlash against the LGBT community in some areas.
It is feared that the discrimination caused by this virus is similar to the HIV epidemic of the 1980s.
New name not announced.
There are more than 1,900 cases of smallpox in countries where the virus is not endemic. (Provided by CDC via Reuters)
What are the symptoms?
A person may develop symptoms of monkeypox between five and 21 days after being infected.
The WHO says that the symptoms of monkeypox are:
- Fever
- Headache
- swollen lymph nodes
- Back pain
- Muscle aches
- Lack of energy
- An eruption that turns into liquid or pus-filled lesions
Symptoms of monkeypox usually last two to four weeks.
Like other diseases such as chickenpox and chickenpox, chickenpox can leave permanent scars.
How do you do that?
The WHO says the smallpox of the monkey is spread by close contact with an infected person.
It can also be transmitted through infected particles in items such as bedding or towels.
Last week, scientists detected viral DNA in the semen of a handful of monkeypox patients in Italy and Germany.
The WHO is investigating these reports and is exploring the possibility that the disease could be sexually transmitted.
Several countries have ordered smallpox vaccine doses to deal with the smallpox outbreak. (Reuters: Dado Ruvic / Illustration)
Where are the cases?
More than 1,900 cases of smallpox have been reported in more than 30 countries where the virus is not endemic.
The WHO says the “sudden and unexpected” appearance in several regions suggests that there may be “undetected transmission for several weeks or more.”
Most cases of smallpox in the monkey are found in Europe, with the highest number recorded in the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and Germany.
There are also cases in the Middle East, Israel, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Canada, and parts of South America.
Australia’s first case was reported on May 20 and there were eight cases on June 10.
More than 1,500 suspected cases of smallpox in Africa have been reported this year, of which 59 cases have been confirmed and 79 have been killed.
What is the treatment?
There is currently no specific treatment for monkeypox.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says antivirals developed to treat smallpox can be beneficial.
Several countries have ordered doses of the smallpox vaccine, which has been approved for smallpox use.
Smallpox is the only infectious disease that has been eliminated thanks to a comprehensive vaccination and surveillance program.
It was declared “eradicated” by the WHO in 1980, with the last known case in 1977.
with Reuters