Another deadly epidemic, known as mpox is spreading fast, especially in Africa, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring global health emergency on it.
The mpox, which was formerly called monkeypox, is spreading in African countries and had killed 524 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
WHO warned that the threat of the epidemic this time is deadlier, adding that since the beginning of this year, the Democratic Republic of Congo alone has reported more than 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths.
It said that the people who are most at risk are women and children under 15.
The WHO.’s Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said today, August 14, that the detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern D.R.C and in neighboring countrie had not previously reported mpox, and that the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying.
WHO said that this is the second time in three years that it has designated an mpox epidemic as a global emergency.
It previously did so in July 2022. That outbreak went on to affect nearly 100,000 people, primarily gay and bisexual men, in 116 countries, and killed about 200 people.
The outbreak this time
has spread through 13 countries in Africa, including a few that had never reported mpox cases before.
Yesterday, August 13, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared a “public health emergency of continental security,” the first time the organization has taken that step since the African Union granted it the power to do so last year.
The Executive Director for preparedness and response at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a nonprofit that finances vaccine development, Dr. Nicole Lurie said: “It’s in the interests of the countries of the continent and of the world to get our arms around this and stop transmission as soon as we can.”
Mpox symptoms may start three to 17 days after one is exposed to it. The time between when one is exposed and when one has the symptoms is called the incubation period.
Mpox symptoms last two to four weeks and may include: Fever, Skin rash, Swollen lymph nodes, Headache, Muscle aches and backaches
About one to four days after one begins having a fever, a skin rash starts.
The mpox rash often first appears on the face, hands or feet and then spreads to other parts of the body. But in cases linked to the outbreak that started in 2022, the rash often started in the genital area, mouth, or throat. The mpox rash goes through many stages. Flat spots turn into blisters. Then the blisters fill with pus, scab over and fall off over a period of two to four weeks.
One can spread mpox while one has symptoms and so from when the symptoms start until the rash and scabs heal, one is advised to see healthcare professional right away if you have a new rash or any mpox symptoms, even if you don’t know anyone with mpox.
How does the mpox virus spread?
The mpox virus causes mpox. The virus spreads through close contact with an infected animal or person. Or it can spread when a person handles materials such as blankets that have been in contact with someone who has mpox.
The mpox virus spreads from person to person through:
Direct contact with rashes, scabs or body fluids of a person with mpox.
Extended close contact (more than four hours) with respiratory droplets from an infected person. This includes sexual contact.
Clothes, sheets, blankets or other materials that have been in contact with rashes or body fluids of an infected person.
An infected pregnant person can spread the mpox virus to a fetus.
Mpox spreads from an animal to a person through:
Animal bites or scratches.
Wild game that is cooked for food.
Products, such as skins or furs, made of infected animals.
Direct contact with body fluids or rashes of animals with mpox.
What can I do to prevent becoming infected with or spreading the mpox virus?
Take these steps to prevent infection with or the spread of the mpox virus:
Avoid close contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox.
Avoid handling clothes, sheets, blankets or other materials that have been in contact with an infected animal or person.
Isolate people who have mpox from healthy people.
Wash your hands well with soap and water after any contact with an infected person or animal. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid animals that may carry the virus.
Some smallpox vaccines can prevent mpox, including the ACAM2000 and Jynneos vaccines. These vaccines can be used to prevent mpox because smallpox and mpox are caused by related viruses.
Healthcare professionals may suggest that people who have been exposed to mpox get vaccinated. Some people who are at risk of exposure to the virus in their work, such as lab workers, may get vaccinated too.
The CDC doesn’t recommend that everyone get vaccinated against mpox at this time.
What is the treatment for mpox?
Treatment for most people with mpox is aimed at relieving symptoms. Care may include managing skin damage from the mpox rash, drinking enough liquids to help keep stool soft, and pain management.
If you have mpox, isolate at home in a separate room from family and pets until your rash and scabs heal.
There is no specific treatment approved for mpox. Healthcare professionals may treat mpox with some antiviral drugs used to treat smallpox, such as tecovirimat (TPOXX) or brincidofovir (Tembexa).
For those unlikely to respond to the vaccine, a healthcare professional may offer vaccinia immune globulin. This has antibodies from people who have been given the smallpox vaccine.
What are the complications of mpox?
Mpox complications can include:
Severe scars on the face, arm and legs.
Blindness.
Other infections.
Death, in rare cases.
The type of mpox virus spreading in the 2022 outbreak, called Clade II, rarely leads to death.
Remember that mpox is rare in the U.S. and the mpox virus doesn’t spread easily between people without close contact. But if you have a new rash or any symptoms of mpox, contact your healthcare professional.
