The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently issued a warning on the monkeypox virus, stating that anyone can get or transfer the virus but a “notable fraction of cases” in the latest global outbreak are happening among gay and bisexual men.
“Some groups may have a greater chance of exposure right now, but by no means is the current risk of exposure to monkeypox exclusively to the gay and bisexual community in the US,” CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Brooks said.
Many countries are already implementing protocols and procedures to halt the further spread of the virus in their jurisdictions. The CDC released the warning after the United States recorded one case of monkeypox and four suspected cases. The confirmed case was a man in Massachusetts, while the other suspected four were documented in New York, Florida, and Utah – as reported by CNN
Monkeypox is an extremely rare viral disease that is similar to smallpox, but it is generally considered clinically-less severe, according to the World Health Organization
Although monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, the virus can be passed through sexual intercourse and intimate contact. Since the virus spreads through contact with body fluids and sores, shared bedding can also transmit the disease.
“We want to help people make the best-informed decisions to protect their health and the health of their community from monkeypox,” Brooks said before noting that physicians and individuals should be familiar with the symptoms associated with monkeypox amid the outbreak.
A List of Signs and Symptoms of MonkeyPox, according to the CDC, includes fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion.
There is no proven, safe treatment specifically for monkeypox, but a vaccine made by a Danish company called Bavarian Nordic has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The US has signed a new contract with the company and placed a $119 million order, with the option to buy $180 million more if necessary.The antiviral drug tecovirimat, sold under the brand name TPOXX in the US.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently identified about 200 confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases across more than 12 countries in Europe and North America. The virus is endemic in West and Central African nations, so the cases reported outside these regions are considered unusual and rare.
