The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is currently no evidence that the virus that causes monkeypox has mutated.
Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat of the WHO’s Emergencies Program, on May 23, said the virus has a low mutation rate. Viral gene sequencing will provide information about the current outbreak. In addition, health professionals continue to monitor related mutations that could make the virus more contagious or more severe.
Maria van Kerkhove, Covid-19 Technical Team Leader, said that WHO had recorded more than 100 infections and suspected infections during the recent outbreak in Europe and North America. “This is a manageable situation, but we can’t ignore it in regions like Africa where the disease is still circulating,” she said.
According to WHO, new outbreaks are quite rare, occurring in countries where the virus has not appeared frequently before. Scientists are learning about the origins of infections and how pathogens differ.
WHO is asking dermatology and primary care facilities and sexual health clinics to note cases with symptoms resembling smallpox or monkeypox. Many patients who tested positive for the virus during the new outbreak had had sex with men.
Monkeypox is not usually easily transmitted from person to person, but can be spread when a person is in close contact with the source of the infection or by direct contact with objects used by the patient, such as clothing, bedding or personal belongings.
“Usually, people who have sex with men will be very attentive to the signs of a rash and want a quick cure. It can be helpful for them to be proactive in dealing with unusual symptoms. The situation will become more serious. more clearly in the near future,” said Andy Seale, strategic advisor at the WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programme.
Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical head of the Covid-19 department. Image: Reuters
Ms. Kerkhove believes that the world will record more cases of monkeypox in the near future due to expanded surveillance. Monkeypox, which broke out in the UK in mid-May, has spread to 12 countries, including the UK, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, the US, Canada and Australia. Belgium is the first country quarantine monkeypox patient for 21 days.
Monkey pox in the same family as smallpox. Typical symptoms include rash, fever, muscle aches, and headache. Monkeypox is less deadly than smallpox. There are two common strains of monkeypox. The first is the Congo strain, which is more severe, with a mortality rate of 10%. The second strain, concentrated in West Africa, is less severe, usually fatal to 1% of people who contract it. Currently, patients in the UK have the West African smallpox strain.
In Vietnam, the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, said that functional units are still closely monitoring the disease to prevent the disease from entering; at the same time, work closely with the World Health Organization to promptly update information on the disease and response measures.
Thuc Linh (According to Reuters)
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