The end of the new crown epidemic is unknown, and the unknown pneumonia in children has not yet been figured out, but monkeypox strikes again.
On May 22, 2022, WHO announced that since May 13, a total of 92 confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases have been reported in 12 countries around the world. , and “human-to-human transmission” has occurred.
The situation is serious. Within 24 hours, Austria, Australia, Switzerland, and Israel also reported their first cases.
Because it is a close relative of the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine can prevent monkeypox with an 85% effective rate. However, the WHO notification shows that, given that smallpox has been eradicated for many years, no population under the age of 40 globally is currently vaccinated against smallpox.
Monkeypox virus can be transmitted through contact with foci, body fluids, droplets and even bedding pollutants. Coupled with the lack of vaccines, it is difficult for herd immunity to build defenses in a short time. In addition to isolation, we will not Will there be a new wave of nucleic acid testing?
21 days of quarantine required
Monkeypox is not a new virus, the first cases of infection were identified 30 years ago.
In 1970, the first case of infection occurred in Congo (DRC). In 2018, cases in travelers were found in Israel, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, and until recently, cases have been detected in many countries around the world.
In fact, monkeypox is a self-limiting disease, and symptoms usually resolve within 14 to 21 days, which means that most infected people recover on their own. The virus has a low fatality rate, but WHO says children and immunocompromised people are more likely to develop severe symptoms.
Most countries in Europe have “basically flattened” the coronavirus. As early as March 7, 2022, Belgium has lifted the new crown epidemic prevention and control measures, and there is no limit to the number of indoor activities.
But as soon as the monkeypox outbreak emerged, Belgium was the first to issue a quarantine order, requiring patients to be quarantined for 21 days. In the eyes of Belgian virologists, monkeypox disease is “unheard of”.
Following Belgium, the UK Health and Safety Authority also recommends that people who are at high risk of monkeypox should self-isolate for 21 days.
Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Electron microscope image showing monkeypox virus
It has been reported that monkeypox virus can even survive in aerosols for 90 hours and remain somewhat infectious, while Omicron can survive only 21 hours on the surface of the skin.
“Aerosol transmission + super long survival time” also makes it more difficult to block monkeypox virus. Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Current reports of monkeypox cases in Europe have shown that there may be community transmission of monkeypox.
Countries are wary of foreign imports. According to Tan Wenjie, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Institute for Viral Disease Prevention and Control, in an interview with Health News, China has not reported any cases of monkeypox, nor has the virus been found in animal hosts.
The advice given by the NHS is that if you have a blister and rash on your body and you have been to Central or West Africa within the last 3 weeks, you need to isolate at home and seek medical advice.
“Crisis” and “Opportunity” coexist
The backside of the epidemic is business opportunities. A new crown epidemic, nucleic acid testing alone has spawned a market of up to 10 billion yuan in the past two years, and the monkeypox epidemic has also given relevant companies an opportunity.
There is currently no specific drug against monkeypox virus, but some antiviral drugs can be used to treat monkeypox disease, and the smallpox vaccine can also provide cross-protection.
In 2019, the U.S. FDA approved Bavarian Nordic’s smallpox and monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, an attenuated vaccine for the prevention of adults 18 years of age and older. The U.S. health department was quick to snap up a $119 million monkeypox vaccine.
This time the US ordered 13 million freeze-dried vaccines, which were approved in Europe in 2013.
There is no monkeypox outbreak in China, but it is safe to be prepared. On May 22, the Chinese biotechnology official Weibo announced that after the eradication of smallpox, Sinopharm Zhongsheng sealed vaccinia for emergency use.
Similar to nucleic acid testing for 2019-nCoV, genetic testing is the “golden rule” for dealing with monkeypox virus. Domestic genetic testing companies such as Shengxiang Bio also claim that they have stocked monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits, which can quickly identify monkeypox virus.
Zhijiang Bio said on the interactive platform that its product monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit has obtained the EU CE certification, and has already received small batch orders at home and abroad.
Daan Gene stated on the interactive platform that the company has reserves of monkeypox virus-related scientific research products, and can provide scientific research products of monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits.
The capital market reacted even more. Even chickenpox vaccine stocks that have nothing to do with monkeypox, such as Baike Biotech, once ushered in a continuous rise in stock prices.
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