"Here we go again," you may have thought to yourself if you've followed the recent coverage of monkeypox cases, even just casually. On the face of it, monkeypox — with its nasty and scary-looking lesions — may even seem worse than the global pandemic we just seemed to getting some semblance of control over. This novel threat may lurk in your mind, accompanying all the other worrying global developments, as you ask yourself a question that increasing numbers of people seem to be grappling with. "Is monkeypox the new COVID?"
Here, we'll strive to answer the questions. you have about this disease.
What Is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease, which means that it can be transferred from animals to humans. Monkeypox, which was initially discovered in 1958 among monkeys kept for research purposes in a lab facility in Copenhagen, Denmark, falls into the Poxviridae of viruses and belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. It is, as such, quite closely related to other "pox" viruses, including chickenpox, cow pox, and smallpox.
The virus was first observed in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Africa, in 1970. It has since been present in small and manageable numbers throughout western Africa, mostly in the DRC and Nigeria. Monkeypox first appeared in the United States, at least to scientists' knowledge, in the year 2003. In addition to prairie dogs kept as pets, some people were also infected.
What's the Deal with the News About Monkeypox Cases and Outbreaks?
A significant number of new monkeypox cases in people have been reported since the beginning of May 2022, in countries that do not normally have outbreaks and in which the virus is not endemic. They are:
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- The Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
Unlike previous monkeypox cases diagnosed in countries that have no clear links with those where the virus has become endemic, these new cases — which don't exceed 100 so far — have no confirmed connection to travel to areas where the virus is known to be active. This is the worrying thing.
What Are the Symptoms of Monkeypox?
Monkeypox, which belongs to the same family as the deadly smallpox that was successfully eradicated on a global level but is much less serious, usually begins with non-specific symptoms that include a fever, headache, muscle aches, and general but all-encompassing fatigue. These symptoms are then followed with backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and more fatigue.
The characteristic lesions that will already have scared you, and that can appear all over the body, generally make their appearance after one to three days, though this period is longer in some patients. The rash progresses through several nasty, itchy, stages, which include oozing lesions, before finally developing scabs and returning to normal.
While many news outlets have described monkeypox as a virus that is usually mild, around 10 percent of cases in West Africa end in death. This has a lot to do with a lack of available healthcare, however.
How Is Monkeypox Transmitted?
That's not quite clear yet. At the moment, most sources focus on the idea that monkeypox is mainly transmitted through direct and prolonged contact with infected people or animals, with heavy emphasis on the fact that many of those who were recently infected were men who have sex with men. This leads to the tentative conclusion that monkeypox is likely spread primarily via prolonged skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids, and it has already been confirmed that being bitten by an infected animal can also transmit monkeypox.
The Centers for Disease Control do not, however, exclude the possibility that monkeybox may be airborne — just like COVID.
Despite that, monkeypox seems to have a much lower R number than COVID. For instance, Omicron has an R number of around 12, which means that every infected person will infect around 12 new people (who will then infect 12 new people, and so on). The R number for monkeypox is estimated to be less than one, meaning that not everyone who has monkeypox will pass it on to someone else, much less more than one person.
What Steps Should You Take to Prevent Monkeypox?
If you belong to a certain generation, you won't have to worry too much — because the smallpox vaccine is also 85 percent effective against monkeypox. If you have had this vaccine, you are already enjoying a significant level of protection against monkeypox.
Besides that, you can effectively help to protect yourself against monkeypox by continuing to take the same steps you became intimately familiar with when COVID-19 made its appearance. Above all, wash your hands often and properly. Keep wearing a mask. Avoid crowded areas. In addition, if you enjoy a healthy sex life, do so safely. If your partner has a suspicious rash, encourage them to seek health care and stay away.
If you're around animals with monkeypox, take all the right measures to protect yourself.
How Is Monkeypox Treated?
If this current trend keeps going, smallpox vaccines may make a comeback, and a vaccine against monkeypox, called JYNNEOS, is also available, along with targeted antiviral drugs. New and even more effective vaccines may be developed in the future. Anyone who contracts monkeypox right now will likely be offered the existing vaccine along with supportive treatment to alleviate the symptoms, which will pass within two weeks in most cases.
Is Monkeypox Serious and Scary?
Monkeypox can be deadly. If you think you have it, it's definitely something to take seriously — seek health care and isolate yourself from other people.
Is it global-pandemic-level scary? Not yet, and because monkeypox is much harder to transmit, it will hopefully stay that way. We've all heaard that one before, though, so it's good to keep your eyes peeled.