Monkeypox outbreak

Cases of monkeypox have not been detected in South Africa, but the importation of the virus is a reality, says NICD executive director Adrian Puren.

There are two clades of monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central African) clade. Thus the current outbreak is unlikely to progress to being a global emergency," the institute added. According to the NICD, investigations have been unable to link this case to any of the other cases detected. This suggests that there have been multiple introductions of the virus into the UK and other countries, with cases potentially having gone undetected till now. The rare viral disease occurs mostly in central and west Africa, where it is endemic in 12 countries. - Cases of monkeypox have been reported to the WHO from countries that are not endemic for the virus.

A leading theory behind the spread of monkeypox is sexual transmission at two mass party events held in Spain and Belgium, an expert told the AP.

"It's very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close, physical contact," Heymann told the news outlet. Anybody can contact monkeypox through close contact," Seale said. Close personal contact is sufficient."

The current outbreaks of the monkeypox virus in Europe and North America might have originated and spread through sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium.

"Most of the current cases have presented with mild disease symptoms, and for the broader population, the likelihood of spread is very low," ECDC director Andrea Ammon said in another statement on May 23. Most of the reported monkeypox cases in Europe to date are in men who have sex with men, the CDC reported. Even so, any close contact with an infected person or their clothing or bedding can transmit the virus, health officials said.

John Perlman spoke to Professor Shabir Madhi about the virus and whether it is something we should be concerned about.

John Perlman spoke to Professor Shabir Madhi about the virus and whether it is something we should be concerned about. John Perlman spoke to Professor Shabir Madhi about the virus and whether it is something we should be concerned about. Should South Africans be worried about a monkeypox outbreak?

CAPE TOWN - While no monkeypox cases have been reported in the country the South African Medical Association (Sama) said that we should be vigilant. At least 92 ...

The symptoms that we have [are] fever, headache, muscle aches, back aches, chills, fatigue, swelling of lymph nodes and a rash," he said. At least 92 cases have been confirmed globally and 28 suspected cases are being investigated in 12 other countries. At least 92 cases have been confirmed globally, and 28 suspected cases are being investigated in 12 other countries.

A doctor who chairs a World Health Organization expert group has described the unprecedented outbreak of the rare disease monkeypox in developed countries ...

WHO said confirmed cases have so far been the less severe West African group of monkeypox viruses and appeared to be linked to a virus that was first detected in exported cases from Nigeria to Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018-2019. “It’s very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close, physical contact,” Heymann hypothesized. Authorities in Portugal and Spain also said their cases were in men who mostly had sex with other men and whose infections were picked up when they sought help for lesions at sexual health clinics. The agency’s Europe director warned that as summer begins across the continent, mass gatherings, festivals and parties could accelerate the spread of monkeypox. Vaccines against smallpox, a related disease, are also effective in preventing monkeypox and some antiviral drugs are being developed. Madrid’s senior health official said on Monday that the Spanish capital has recorded 30 confirmed cases so far.

Dr. David Heymann said that the unusual spread could have originated from sexual encounters at recent gatherings in Belgium and Spain.

“It’s very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close, physical contact,” Heymann said. “And it looks like the sexual contact has now amplified that transmission.” “This is not COVID,” he said.

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday (May 24) there have been 131 confirmed monkeypox cases and 106 further suspected cases since the ...

The majority of the recent cases have been reported in Europe. Symptoms include a fever and a distinctive bumpy rash. She said it was unclear if the cases were the "tip of the iceberg" or if the peak in transmission has already passed.

There are no monkeypox cases in SA, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases says, but the institute is equipped to test travellers if needed.

The first case in the outbreak was a traveller who returned to the UK from Nigeria, a monkeypox endemic area. The NICD said it would continually assess the risk for local introduction and transmission in collaboration with the national department of health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in line with international health regulations. Fifteen countries have collectively reported more than 140 cases of monkeypox.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that a recent outbreak of monkeypox cases in non-endemic countries is "containable" even as it continues to ...

It's not the same as saying we must not act swiftly. "That's not the same as saying public health people shouldn't be worried. The cases are reportedly located in 19 countries outside of Africa. At least 19 countries including the U.S., U.K. Canada, Australia, Italy, Spain and Portugal have so far reported cases. The WHO said it was currently unclear whether the spike in cases was the "tip of the iceberg" or whether a peak in transmission had already been reached. As of Tuesday, there were 131 confirmed cases and 106 suspected cases of the disease since the first was reported on May 7, according to the public health body.

Sylvie Briand, the WHO's director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness said it isn't clear whether the monkeypox outbreak is just the “tip of the ...

The U.S. has a stockpile of smallpox vaccines large enough to vaccinate the entire population in the event of a smallpox or monkeypox emergency, a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told Forbes. The country is preparing to release some of these vaccines for those exposed to the virus, officials said on Monday, and Britain is reportedly offering vaccines to close contacts of monkeypox patients. The disease is usually mild and will go away on its own within a month or so, though it is riskier for children, can cause complications during pregnancy and can cause serious illness and death in some cases, though the precise fatality rate is not known (it varies between 1% and 10% in parts of Africa, where two different strains of the virus circulate). As monkeypox is a close relative of smallpox—one of history’s biggest killers and the only human disease to have been successfully eradicated—there are treatments and vaccines available to curb its spread. There is one confirmed monkeypox case in the U.S. and six more presumptive cases. Other cases are suspected or confirmed in Europe—including Spain, the U.K., Belgium and Portugal—and countries like Australia and Canada. Though outbreaks of monkeypox outside of Africa have happened before—there was an outbreak linked to infected pet prairie dogs in the U.S. in 2003—most are linked to travel in affected regions and the appearance of the virus in multiple locations has puzzled scientists. Monkeypox is usually found in parts of Central and Western Africa and outbreaks elsewhere are rare and ordinarily linked to travel, though the recent outbreak suggests the disease is spreading in the community outside these areas. The outbreak of monkeypox is unusual but “containable,” the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, confirming 131 cases in 19 countries where the virus does not usually spread as the United States releases vaccines from its national stockpile for those exposed to the virus.