What is monkeypox that WHO and US President warn about?

Specimens of monkeypox reuters

During a press conference at Osan Air Base (Korea) on May 22. President Biden spoke out for the first time about monkeypox, according to Reuters.

“We are concerned that this disease, if it spreads, will have significant consequences,” the US leader said.

Jake Sullivan, the White House’s National Security Adviser, said that the US had a supply of a vaccine that could be effective against monkeypox and that Mr. Biden was being updated on the outbreak.

Up to now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) has two licensed smallpox vaccines, named Imvamune and Imvanex respectively. The results of the study showed that the two vaccines were at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox virus.

More countries have people with monkeypox

Israel, Switzerland and Austria are the latest countries to record monkeypox, bringing the total number of countries where the disease has been reported in the latest outbreak to 15.

In recent weeks, cases have been detected in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, respectively. Portugal, Sweden, as well as the US, Canada and Austria. These are signs that the monkeypox virus may be spreading.

As of May 21, World Health Organization (WHO) received reports that there have been 92 cases of monkeypox and 28 suspected cases in countries where the disease rarely occurs, according to the BBC.

The UK is seeing the number of cases increase day by day, although there are unrelated cases in West Africa, the area where monkeypox is endemic.

Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), confirmed that the UK had recorded community infections in this new outbreak.

How dangerous is monkeypox?

Monkey pox similar to human smallpox (the disease was eradicated from the world in 1980), and is easily mistaken for chickenpox. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, blisters, chills, and exhaustion. Pimples usually appear on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.

There is currently no cure for monkeypox, although most patients experience mild symptoms and usually recover in 2-4 weeks. The mortality rate of monkeypox is about 1%. Fortunately, there is a vaccine to prevent this disease.

The virus that causes monkeypox is not as contagious as SARS-CoV-2. Health experts believe that the current outbreak occurs through close and intimate contact with people who are sick.

Reuters quoted infectious disease expert David Heymann of WHO as saying that the disease spreads in the form of sex and now spread as infectious disease through this route.

Methods of disease prevention

He began administering smallpox vaccinations to at-risk healthcare workers while caring for patients with monkeypox. The US government says there is enough vaccine in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to vaccinate the entire US population.

Ministry of Health and U.S. Human Services also reported that there are several antiviral drugs available for smallpox that may be used in monkeypox in certain circumstances.

As a precaution, health officials recommend that people avoid close contact with people who show signs of monkeypox or are sick. People suspected of having this disease should isolate and seek support from health authorities.

Meanwhile, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist with the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Foundation at the University of Saskatchewan (Canada), said that it should not be too surprising when a virus or disease occurs.

She said the world is becoming more alert after Covid-19 epidemic appear. There are many factors that accelerate the risk of an outbreak, including increased global travel, accelerated climate change, and a faster spread of the virus.