Mpox outbreak: The world had just come out of the danger of Covid-19 virus some time ago, but now another virus has increased the concern. The name of this virus is Mpox, regarding which WHO has declared a global public health emergency. Till now, cases of this virus were found only in Africa, but now its cases have started being found outside Africa also. This is also a matter of concern for India because a case of MPox has been found in Pakistan.
The infected Pakistani man had returned to the country from Saudi Arabia and the infection has been confirmed.
MPOX has so far affected 116 countries. The health agency has classified it as a ‘Grade 3 emergency’ which means it needs immediate attention.
More than 27,000 cases have been reported since January 2023 and about 1100 deaths have been recorded. Apart from some parts of Congo, this virus has now spread from Eastern Congo to Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya.
The Public Health Agency has confirmed that this is the same strain of the virus that has been increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo since September 2023 and is known as the Clade 1B subclade. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country located in Central Africa, the second largest in Africa and the largest French-speaking country in the world. The new viral strain, which first appeared in September 2023, has been found outside the DRC.
Sweden’s Public Health Agency issued a statement saying, ‘Ampox caused by the Clade I variant has been detected in a person who came for treatment in Stockholm. This is the first case due to Clade I treated outside the African continent.’
What did WHO say?
WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news conference, ‘The emergence of a new group of Mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and cases in several neighboring countries. It is very worrying to receive this information. “With the addition of outbreaks of other Mpox clades in the DRC and other countries in Africa, it is clear that international action is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
Epidemiologist Magnus Gislen says, ‘It is believed that the patient became infected with this virus during a trip to an area of Africa where there is currently a threat of Mpox Clade I.’
Now in such a situation, it is important to know what MPox is, how it spreads and how it can be avoided. So let us know about all this in detail.
What is MPOX?
Monkeypox is a viral disease caused by monkeypox virus, a species of the Orthopoxvirus genus. MPox was earlier known as monkeypox. This virus was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there was an outbreak of ‘pox-like’ disease in monkeys. Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox.
How is mpox spread?
Mpox is a viral infection that spreads mainly through contact with an infected person or animal. Mpox can spread from one person to another through direct contact with infected skin or other lesions such as the mouth or genitals. Most cases in Central and Western Africa have been seen in people who had contact with infected animals.
Experts say that this infection can also spread through the use of contaminated items like clothes or linen, common items used in tattoo shops, parlors or other public places. The virus can also spread from animals to humans through bites, scratches, eating or other activities with infected animals.
What are the symptoms of mpox?
People infected with mpox often develop a rash on the body which may appear on the arms, legs, chest, face or mouth, or around the genitals. These pustules eventually form pustules (large white or yellow pustules filled with pus) and scab before healing. Its other symptoms also include fever, headache and muscle pain.
Lymph nodes can also swell as they try to fight the virus, and in rare cases, the virus can be fatal. A person infected with this can infect many people from the initial symptoms until the rash appears and then gets cured.
How long do symptoms last?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of mpox begin to appear within 21 days of exposure to the virus. The time from exposure to mpox to symptoms appearing is 3 to 17 days. During this time, the person does not show any symptoms. But after completion of this time the effect of the virus starts becoming visible.
What is the treatment for mpox?
There is no specific treatment for MPOX yet. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends giving medicine for its symptoms like pain and fever. CDC says that if a patient has good immunity and does not have skin disease, then he can recover even without any treatment. He will just need care.