In his decision last Saturday, Tedros said he was aware of the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the monkeypox outbreak in the world today. He finally established that state of emergency. Adhering to the views among the Committee Members and Advisors, as well as other factors in line with the International Health Regulations, Tedros then published the so-called Temporary Recommendations.

Recommendations are detailed differently for the four WHO member country groups. The first group is countries that have no history of monkeypox in humans or have not detected it in the last 21 days.

The second recommendation is for countries that have recently imported cases of the disease in their population or of human-to-human transmission, including in their population groups that are at high risk. It includes health surveillance and travel bans for certain individuals.

The third group is countries with known or suspected cases of zoonotic transmission (virus jumps from animals to humans) at present or in the past, those with cases of monkeypox in their animals — both now and in the past. Finally, the recommendation is addressed to countries that have the capacity to manufacture drugs.

Current Situation

According to data presented by the WHO Secretariat, so far this year until July 20, 14,533 confirmed and suspected cases have been reported from 75 countries in all six WHO work areas. The figure, which includes 3 deaths in Nigeria and 2 in the Central African Republic, is up from 3,040 cases from 47 countries as of early May.

Transmission occurs in many countries where monkeypox was not previously known, and the highest number of cases are currently reported in European and American countries. The majority of monkeypox cases recorded by the WHO have affected men who claim to be gay, bisexual, and other men who have multiple partners. Many cases are urban and clustered in social and sexual networks.

There was also a significant increase in cases in countries in West and Central Africa. Cases from this region have a different demographic profile than those observed in Europe and the Americas, where there are more infected women and children.

Clinical symptoms of monkeypox that appear in outbreaks outside Africa are generally mild and not widespread in the body. More often localized in the genital, perineal/perianal, or peri-oral areas. Usually also precede the symptoms of lymphadenopathy, fever, malaise, and pain in the wound.

The average incubation period of monkeypox is estimated to be 7.6 to 9.2 days based on observational data from the Netherlands, England, Northern Ireland, and the United States. A small number of cases come from among health workers.

However, this isn’t the first time WHO declared PHEIC. There had been six other similar PHEIC declarations in the past years.

• 2009 Swine flu
• 2014 Polio
• 2014 Ebola
• 2015 Zika
• 2018 K. Ebola
• 2019 COVID

Some of you might not realize it because at that time things didn’t escalate this big. Not all PHEICs become pandemics. But it’s the right precautionary step by WHO.

According to Faheem Younus, a Chief of Infectious Diseases from the University of Maryland UCH said that “COVID is peculiar because it is a novel viral strain, easily transmissible through the respiratory route, attacks a vital organ (lungs) and is deadly”. He also added,

If COVID is like a snake bite, Monkeypox is like bed bugs. Important and concerning, but not the same.

He reminded us to not fall for fear mongering about monkeypox because it is harder to transmit than COVID. Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with lesions and body fluids of infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus. Respiratory droplets can also transmit the virus, but only in rare cases. Transmission via droplet respiratory particles usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact.

What should we do now?

According to the tips from Harvard Health, there some steps that we can do to help stop this outbreak:

1. Recognize early symptoms

• Not like COVID, monkeypox often shows early symptoms that are flulike, including fatigue, fever, headache, and enlarged lymph nodes.
• After symptoms occur, the rash usually appears after a few days, changing from small flat spots to tiny blisters similar to chickenpox, then to larger, pus-filled blisters.
• The rash often starts on the face and then appears on the palms, arms, legs, and other parts of the body. If may show up near genitals if it’s is spread by sexual contact.

2. Take steps to stop the spread

• Anyone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox, or who suspects they might have it, should avoid close contact with others. Once the sores scab over, the infected person is no longer contagious.
• Health care workers and other caregivers should wear standard infection control gear, including gloves and a mask.
• In the current outbreak, many cases began with sores in the genital and rectal areas among men who have sex with men, so doctors suspect sexual contact spread the infection. As a result, experts are encouraging abstinence when monkeypox is suspected or confirmed.

3. Use vaccination to help break the chain

• Monkeypox is closely related to smallpox. People who received a smallpox vaccine in the past may have some protection from monkeypox.
• Stockpiled smallpox vaccinations and newer vaccines that can be used for monkeypox or smallpox are also available.

Ring vaccination

Monkeypox usually is contagious after symptoms begin, which can help limit its spread. One reason COVID-19 spread so rapidly was that people could spread it before they knew they had it.

This means it’s possible to vaccinate a “ring” of people around them rather than vaccinating an entire population. This selective approach is called ring vaccination.

Ring vaccination has been used successfully to contain smallpox and Ebola outbreaks. It may come in handy for monkeypox as well. Here’s how it works:

• As soon as a case of monkeypox is suspected or confirmed, the patient and their close contacts are interviewed to identify possible exposures.
• Vaccination is offered to all close contacts.
• Vaccination is also offered to those who had close contact with the infected person’s contacts.

Ideally, people should be vaccinated within four days of exposure.

It’s really good to stay vigilant, but let’s not get too anxious about monkeypox. We don’t need Google experts, fear-mongering, turning this into business, politicizing this virus, or stigmatizing any group. Stay Healthy!

The post Monkeypox Outbreak: Stay Vigilant but Let’s Not Get Too Anxious 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.

MONKEYPOX HAS ARRIVED AT THE SHORES of the United States. A gentleman has been hospitalized in Massachusetts following recent travel to Canada. Monkeypox is not confined to the USA: More than 100 suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in 12 nations, including the United States.

The World Health Organization (WHO) offers that confirmed cases have been identified in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States — which had between one and five confirmed monkeypox cases mid-May 2022.

“Everybody should be concerned,” offers US President Biden. But how concerned should you and I be? While monkeypox is only occasionally fatal, are we on the verge of another pandemic? Today we explore what you should know about this uncommon illness.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a virus endemic in parts of West and Central Africa. The condition is a less virulent form of smallpox.

The name “monkeypox” comes from the first documented cases of the illness in animals in 1958, when two outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. However, the virus did not jump from monkeys to humans, nor are monkeys significant carriers of the disease.

The monkeypox virus belongs to a family of viruses: cowpox, smallpox, and vaccinia.

Monkeypox virus causes the condition, with the virus a subset of the Poxviridae family of viruses called Orthopoxvirus. This subset includes smallpox, vaccinia, and cowpox viruses. Scientists suspect that African rodents play a role in transmission, but the natural reservoir of monkeypox is not clear.

Monkeypox transmission and symptoms

Contacting an infected individual or animal (or contaminated surfaces) can lead to virus transmission.

Most commonly, the monkeyvirus enters the body through broken skin, mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth, or through inhalation. Contaminated clothing can be a vector, too. How and where infections are happening remains under investigation.

Monkeypox creates a rash that starts with flat red marks that become raised and filled with pus. Infected people may also have a fever and body aches. Monkeypox can also cause lymph nodes to swell (in contradistinction, smallpox does not). Other initial symptoms may include:

• Fever or chills
• Headache
• Muscle aches or backache
• Exhaustion

Symptoms usually appear in six to 13 days but can take as long as three weeks after exposure to become noticeable and last for two to four weeks.

Often, the rash develops within one to three days of the fever, with the skin changes beginning on the face and then spreading to other body parts. The skin lesions can begin as flat (macules), become raised (papules), and then transition to vesicles (a thin-walled sac filled with a fluid, usually clear and small).

If progression continues, pustules may form and finally transition to scabs. The overall course is usually around two to four weeks. In Africa, monkeypox is fatal in as many as 10 percent of those who get the disease.

Monkeypox risk reduction and management

The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) volunteers these risk reduction strategies:

• Avoid contact with animals that may have the virus (including sick or dead animals in endemic areas).
• Avoid contact with any materials (such as bedding) that have been in contact with a sick animal.
• Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection.
• Practice good hand hygiene after contact with infected animals or humans. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.

An attenuated live virus vaccine for monkeypox is JYNNEOSTM (Imvamune or Imvanex).

The CDC explains there is no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox virus infection. Smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) are options to control a monkeypox outbreak in the United States. Learn more about treatment here:Monkeypox TreatmentClinician Treatment. Monkeypox is a viral disease that occurs mainly in central and western Africa. It is called…www.cdc.gov.

If you have a new skin rash or are concerned about monkeypox, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urges people to contact their health care provider. The agency has asked doctors to be on the alert for signs of the telltale rash and says potential monkeypox cases should be isolated and flagged to them.

Am I worried? Not particularly, but I will be on guard until we get more clarity on the scope of the problem. It is challenging to estimate how big a problem monkeypox will become. For now, be aware but know that the risk posed by monkeypox is currently remarkably low.

The likelihood of transmission during sexual contact is high. Still, the risk of transmission from other forms of close contact is low, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control explains.

Fortunately, symptoms are usually mild, but in Nigeria, 3.3 percent died (with the most vulnerable including children, young adults, and immunocompromised people. Thank you for joining me today.

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