World The health organization’s top monkeypox expert said he did not expect the hundreds of cases reported so far to turn into another pandemic, but acknowledged there were still many unknowns about the disease, including whether How exactly is it spreading and whether the suspension of mass smallpox vaccination decades ago could somehow accelerate its transmission.
In a public session on Monday, WHO’s Dr. Rosamund Lewis said it was important to emphasize that the majority of cases seen in dozens of countries around the world are gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men, So that scientists can study further. To take precautions for problem and at-risk populations.
This is very important to describe because it appears to be an increase in a mode of transmission that may have been less recognized in the past, said Lewis, WHO’s technical lead on monkeypox.
Still, she cautioned that anyone is at potential risk of the disease, regardless of their sexual orientation. Other experts have pointed out that it may be coincidental that the disease was first picked up in gay and bisexual men, adding that it could quickly spread to other groups if it was not stopped.
Lewis said it is unknown whether monkeypox is spread by sex or just close contact between people who engage in sexual activity and said the risk to the general population is low.
Lewis said it is not yet known whether the virus is using a new mode of transmission, but it is clear that it continues to exploit its well-known mode of transmission, which is close, physical contact. keeps. Monkeypox is spread when there is close physical contact with an infected person or their clothing or bedsheets.
She also warned that in current cases, there is a higher proportion of people with fewer lesions that are more concentrated in the genital area and are sometimes nearly impossible to see.
You may have these sores for two to four weeks (and) they may not be visible to others, but you can still be contagious,” she said.
Last week, a top WHO advisory said outbreaks in Europe, the US, Israel, Australia and beyond were linked to sex in two recent waves in Spain and Belgium. This marks a significant departure from diseases of the typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are primarily infected by animals such as wild rodents and primates, and epidemics do not spread across borders.
Most monkeypox patients only experience fever, body aches, chills, and fatigue. People with more severe disease may have a rash and sores on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. No deaths have been reported in the current outbreak.
WHO’s Lewis also said that while previous cases of monkeypox in central and western Africa have been relatively controlled, it was unclear whether people could spread monkeypox without symptoms or if the disease could be transmitted through the air, such as measles. or COVID-19.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox but has mild symptoms. After declaring the eradication of smallpox in 1980, countries suspended their mass vaccination programs, a move that some experts believe may have helped prevent the spread of monkeypox, as there is no longer a need for related diseases. have very little widespread immunity; The smallpox vaccine also protects against monkeypox.
Lewis said it would be unfortunate if monkeypox were able to take advantage of the immunity gap left by smallpox 40 years ago, adding that there was still a window of opportunity to stave off outbreaks so that monkeypox would not spread to new areas.
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