Moreover, Shakespeare witnessed numerous waves of the plague, with the disease taking the lives of hundreds of thousands of Europeans in his lifetime. With each plague outbreak in England, rulers banned mass gatherings, including London theater performances.

From 1603 to 1613, when Shakespeare’s powers as a writer peaked, the Globe and other London theatres were closed for a remarkable 78 months or over 60 percent of the time.

“Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence:
Lest his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.”

Coriolanus Act 3, Scene 1

What is the New COVID Variant Arcturus (XBB.1.16)?

Arcturus, also known as XBB.1.16, is a subvariant of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. It was first identified in India in January 2023 and has since been detected in over 30 countries.

Arcturus is thought to be more transmissible than previous variants of Omicron, but there is no evidence that it is more severe.

Many of the symptoms of Arcturus are similar to those of other variants of COVID-19. They may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, and loss of taste or smell.

Some people may experience gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

But there is one atypical symptom associated with the Arcturus: Itchy eyes. Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic (USA), offers:

“One new feature of cases caused by this variant is that it seems to be causing conjunctivitis, or red and itchy eyes, in young patients. This is not something that we’ve seen with prior strains of the virus.”

Is Arcturus Especially Dangerous?

While COVID-19 rates in the U.S. are relatively low and are declining, the World Health Organization (WHO) is keeping an eye on a new COVID-19 variant.

The WHO has listed the omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, known as “Arcturus,” as a variant under monitoring since March 22. Experts say this variant has a higher transmissibility rate than previous strains but doesn’t appear more dangerous.

“He shall not breathe infection in this air” — Henry VI Part 2, Act 3, Scene 2

The New COVID Variant (Arcturus) management

There is no specific treatment for Arcturus, but the same treatments that are effective against other variants of COVID-19 may also be effective against Arcturus. These treatments include:

• Vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccines prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death from Arcturus.
• Paxlovid. Paxlovid is an antiviral medication that is effective against Arcturus. It is recommended for people at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
• Monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are a type of antibody that can be given to people who are at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19. They are not as effective as Paxlovid, but they may be an option for people who cannot take Paxlovid.

“The miserable have no other medicine, but only Hope.” — Measure for Measure, Act 3, Scene 1

The best way to protect yourself from Arcturus is to get vaccinated and boosted. You should also wear a mask in public indoor settings, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently.

Although COVID-19 rates in the U.S. are relatively low, health experts recommend people remain continue to use risk-reducing tactics, including the following:

• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you feel sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19.

I hope you learned something about the COVID variant with the epic name.

The post The New COVID Variant — A Striking Symptom You Should Know About appeared first on Medika Life.

As of this writing, total USA confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases: 4,907. Globally there are 21,148. But the virus has an incredible ability to spread quickly. And it is NOT benign.

According to a World Health Organization report from 22 July, only five deaths had been reported worldwide, all in Africa.

The WHO last Saturday declared the rapidly spreading outbreak a global health emergency, its highest level of alert.

I received a tweet in my Twitter feed yesterday that indicated someone’s mother had symptoms of monkeypox in the United States. Family members took her to an emergency room where she was denied testing.

They said she wasn’t gay so there was no need to test her. This is a blatant example of medical incompetence and must be treated as such immediately. In my opinion, all licensed personnel connected with this incident need to be reported to their licensing boards for action.

Experts in virology have stated that they’ve never seen an outbreak like this before, so it is an unknown and potentially a serious global health issue. Unfortunately, the virus has been attributed to gay men, Africans and people of color, which is patently false. Anyone living in a household where someone has contracted monkeypox is at risk and they will experience the stigma.

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over. The onset of symptoms from the time of exposure may range from 5 to 21 days and the duration of symptoms is 2 to 4 weeks.

Although there may be mild symptoms, which may occur without the illness being known, the classic presentation is fever and muscle pains with swollen glands. Cases may be severe in children, pregnant women, or persons with immune system deficiency.

Many people infected with monkeypox virus have a mild, self-limiting disease course in the absence of specific therapy. However, the prognosis for monkeypox depends on multiple factors, such as previous vaccination status, initial health status, concurrent illnesses, and comorbidities among others…Currently there is no treatment approved specifically for monkeypox virus infections.

In 2018, the F.D.A. approved a drug to treat smallpox called tecovirimat, or TPOXX, based on data from animal studies. There are only limited data on its use in people.

How Is It Transmitted?

Monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person-to-person through: direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex, touching items
(such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids. Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.

It’s also possible for people to get monkeypox from infected animals, either by being scratched or bitten by the animal, by preparing or eating meat, or by using products from an infected animal.

Myths About Monkeypox

Physicians are not exempt from being poorly informed about monkeypox and this lack of appropriate, accurate information is not in the best interest of the patients and the nation. What are the myths that physicians need to stop believing?

One myth is that monkeypox is a new virus and it isn’t. The first case of monkeypox was documented in 1958 in monkeys in research facilities and in 1978 it was seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The second myth is that monkeypox is a sexually transmitted infection and as can be seen from the information above, it can be contracted in a number of different ways, including contaminated bedsheets and clothing. Even holding hands or hugging can spread monkeypox.

The third myth is that monkeypox affects only gay and bisexual men, which is false. Anyone whether heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual can catch monkeypox.

The fourth myth is that monkeypox is the next COVID-19. It does not attack the respiratory system, although respiratory droplets from an infected person can spread it.

The fifth myth is that monkeypox only affects people in African countries and, as shown here, it has spread around the world.

The last myth is that we don’t need to worry about monkeypox. Remember, this is a virus, and viruses mutate, and the longer a virus is in any population, it has the opportunity to change, become more contagious, or become deadly.

The only way to prevent the spread of monkeypox or other viral illnesses is through vaccination whenever one is available.

Fear brought on by lack of accurate information is the engine driving strong attention to this virus and causing undue stigma and danger (both physical and mental) to individuals. This is not a new gay plague or anything of the sort. It is a virus that jumped from animals to humans, and now it will infect any host in the area where it exists.

The post Fear of Monkeypox Isn’t Irrational, It Makes Good Sense appeared first on Medika Life.