The rare monkeypox virus, usually only found in central and western Africa, has spread in unusual ways this year and among populations that were not vulnerable in the past.
But while the broadcasts have raised some concerns among infectious disease officials and experts, and while a Covid-weary world is on high alert for new outbreaks, there are several reasons why monkeypox is not being treated with the same level of concern as the coronavirus.
Here’s what you need to know about monkey pox and the risks it poses.
What is monkey pox?
Monkeypox is a virus endemic to parts of Central and West Africa. It is a more benign version of smallpox.
It was discovered in 1958, after outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Monkeypox causes a rash that starts with flat red spots that become raised and filled with pus. Infected people will also have a fever and body aches.
Symptoms usually appear within six to 13 days, but can last up to three weeks after exposure. They can last for two to four weeks, with severe cases being more common in children, according to the World Health Organization.
The CDC says there is “no proven, safe treatment” for monkeypox, but notes that to control an outbreak in the United States, smallpox vaccines and other treatments may be used.
How contagious is it?
It usually doesn’t lead to major outbreaks – in most years there are only a handful of cases outside of Africa, if any. The worst outbreak in the United States occurred in 2003, when dozens of cases were linked to exposure to infected prairie dogs and other pets. According to the World Health Organization, it was the first time an outbreak of monkeypox had occurred outside of Africa.
Within Africa, 11 countries have reported cases since 1970, when the first human case was identified in a 9-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigeria has experienced a major outbreak since 2017, with more than 500 suspected cases and 200 confirmed cases, the WHO said.
The virus can spread through body fluids, skin contact, and air droplets. Most cases this year were in young men, many of whom identified themselves as having sex with men.
“Most cases showed lesions on the genitals or peri-genital area, suggesting that transmission likely occurs during close physical contact during sexual activity,” the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Friday.
How many cases have there been this year and where have they been?
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, there have been 38 cases worldwide this year as of Thursday this year, including 37 with no history of travel to endemic countries. Britain reported a further 11 cases on Friday.
In the United States, the first case of 2022 was diagnosed in Massachusetts on Wednesday. The man had recently traveled to Canada, which has had two cases this year. New York City health authorities announced on Thursday that they are investigating a possible case.
Europe has been hit much harder. On Thursday, Portugal had reported 17 cases, Spain had seven, Belgium had two and France, Italy and Sweden had one each.
Britain had reported nine cases on Thursday, but Sajid Javid, the British health minister, said on Friday the number had risen to 20. The WHO said on Thursday the country’s infections appeared to have been acquired locally, but “the magnitude of the local transmission is unclear at this stage and there is the opportunity to identify further cases.”
None of the infected people have died, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
How does the current outbreak differ?
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, this is the first time chains of transmission without links to West or Central Africa have been reported in Europe. The agency also said this year’s cases were the first reported in men who have sex with men.
Do I have to worry?
The virus is likely to be spread during sexual contact, but the risk of transmission through other forms of close contact is low, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
Symptoms are usually mild and most people recover within weeks, but the virus has a death rate of about 3.3 percent in Nigeria, with children, young adults and immunocompromised people being the most susceptible.
