US And Europe Investigate Monkeypox Cases [VIDEO]

May 19, 2022 Medicine, Science

CNN reports:

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is collaborating with Massachusetts health officials on an investigation into a case of monkeypox, the agency said Wednesday in a statement.

The case of monkeypox was confirmed in a man in Massachusetts who had recently traveled to Canada, state health officials announced earlier in the day.

The patient is hospitalized in stable condition at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Paul Biddinger, the chief preparedness and continuity officer at Mass General Brigham, said during a news briefing.

The Washington Post reports:

Monkeypox, which can be passed to animals and humans, is usually found in Central and West Africa. But health authorities in Europe have confirmed more than a dozen cases this month and are investigating dozens more.

Some infections confirmed in the United Kingdom “have no travel links” to a place where monkeypox is regularly found, officials said, suggesting the virus may be spreading through the community.

Monkeypox is not known to spread easily between humans. The fact that cases are emerging in several countries at once — with signs of “sustained” transmission in people — is striking, said Aris Katzourakis, a professor of evolution and genomics at the University of Oxford.

From the British government:

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected 2 additional cases of monkeypox, one in London and one in the South East of England.

The latest cases bring the total number of monkeypox cases confirmed in England since 6 May to 9, with recent cases predominantly in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men (MSM).

The 2 latest cases have no travel links to a country where monkeypox is endemic, so it is possible they acquired the infection through community transmission.

The virus spreads through close contact and UKHSA is advising individuals, particularly those who are gay, bisexual or MSM, to be alert to any unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, and to contact a sexual health service if they have concerns.

Monkeypox has not previously been described as a sexually transmitted infection, though it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. It can also be passed on through other close contact with a person who has monkeypox or contact with clothing or linens used by a person who has monkeypox.

From the CDC:

In humans, the symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox. Monkeypox begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. The main difference between symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy) while smallpox does not.

The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days. Within 1 to 3 days (sometimes longer) after the appearance of fever, the patient develops a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body.

The illness typically lasts for 2−4 weeks. In Africa, monkeypox has been shown to cause death in as many as 1 in 10 persons who contract the disease.

QAnon nutbags are already busy spreading the usual conspiracy claims.



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