Recently, many countries have reported monkeypox cases one after another
WHO issues latest alert
Human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus
12 non-monkeypox endemic countries have reported cases
The World Health Organization issued a monkeypox outbreak warning on the 21st, saying that since cases have been found in many countries where the monkeypox virus is not endemic, more cases may be found in these countries and other countries in the future. spread further.
Data show that since May 13, 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases have been reported in 12 countries that are not endemic for monkeypox virus in three WHO regional offices, and no deaths have been reported so far. Among them, confirmed and suspected cases are mainly from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, and the rest are distributed in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States.
WHO said the cases had no clear travel history to monkeypox-endemic areas and were found primarily, but not exclusively, in men who have sex with men. Evidence suggests that the highest risk of infection is in people who have had close physical contact with monkeypox patients after they develop symptoms.
Electron microscope images of mature monkeypox virus (left) and immature virions (right)
British health officials said on May 22 that new cases of monkeypox virus infection, which is not related to travel to West Africa, are being reported in the United Kingdom every day. Monkeypox virus has established community transmission in the UK.
According to the New York Post of the United States, US President Biden made a public statement for the first time on the 22nd on the occurrence of monkeypox cases in many countries around the world. .
Smallpox “relatives”
The patient had mild fever and pustules
Zhu Huachen, an associate professor at the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong, introduced that monkeypox is a relatively rare infectious disease, and it is relatively close to smallpox. It can be said that the two are close relatives.
In terms of symptoms, they have a lot in common. For example, infected people will have fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, body aches and other symptoms, and they will also feel tired. Individual infected people may develop cough symptoms.
The most obvious symptom is a rash, which spreads from the face to all parts of the body. There will be some red rashes densely distributed on the limbs, and then it will experience suppuration, and finally scabs will fall off.
The most likely route of transmission of monkeypox virus is through close contact. The common pox virus is a self-limiting virus, that is, it does not continue to infect endlessly, and usually the infected person will recover on their own after a few weeks. Although there is a certain fatality rate after infection, like monkeypox virus, its fatality rate is generally between 1% and 10%, which is not particularly high.
Expert reminder: prevent input
According to WHO bulletin information, the incubation period of monkeypox is usually 6 to 13 days, but may be 5 to 21 days.
A number of experts said in an interview with the Health Times that in the face of the spread of monkeypox in many countries around the world, my country must guard the “national gate”, and foreign defense imports are critical. Shen Jun, deputy chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Pediatric Hospital of Fudan University, said that animals that may transmit monkeypox virus (including rodents and non-human primates, hereinafter referred to as related animals) should be banned from entering in the near future, and the entry of animals from epidemic areas should be strengthened. Quarantine of vehicles, people and goods.
The official account of Huashan Infection Wechat stated that scientists are paying close attention to the virus and the epidemic, especially whether the virus has changed the transmission route, as may happen in the current epidemic. This new outbreak across Europe and the US could be a sign that the virus has changed — if only a little — and could increase its ability to spread among people.