Cases of mpox have been reported in Sweden and Pakistan just days after the World Health Organization declared that the virus was a “public health emergency.”
The rapid spread of this virus has gained worldwide attention, and now everybody is questioning just how far mpox has reached and what steps they can take to protect themselves.
Mpox spread is A Global Threat now
The mpox, a pathogen resembling smallpox but usually less virulent, has been circulating for the most part in African nations since 2022.
The present strain, called clade 1, is specifically concerning due to the serious infections it might cause and how easily it might be passed on by close contact, including sexual contact.
Last week, Pakistan confirmed its first mpox case in a patient who had traveled from Saudi Arabia, while Sweden reported its first case linked to travel in Africa, which led the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control to raise its risk level from “low” to “moderate.”
How Does it Affects the Body
Mpox enters the body through broken skin or the respiratory system, after which it travels to all parts through the bloodstream.
It starts by having a flu-like condition, thereby giving signals with raised temperature, chills, and body aches. Thereafter, skin lesions appear, filled with pus. Though most of the cases are mild, some result in serious illness or even death.
The disease does seem to provoke an immune response, but it does not appear to cause any long-term damage to the immune system, says Dr. Michael Marks of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Most people recover fully within two to four weeks.
How Mpox Spreads: What You Need to Know
Mpox is transmitted by close contact with an infected animal or person. Person-to-person transmission occurs due to skin-to-skin contact, respiratory droplets, or contact with objects that get contaminated with the virus, like bedding or clothes.
The virus can also be passed from animals to people through bites, scratches, or even by contact with an infected animal wound.
Dr. Marks says it can stay detectable on skin lesions for about three weeks, making skin-to-skin contact the biggest risk.
Children, people with weakened immune systems, and those living with untreated HIV are at high risk of becoming severely ill.
Keeping Yourself Safe from Mpox
There is no specific treatment for mpox; however, there are vaccines available and they have been proven to reduce the risk of illness.
The sad thing, however, is that these vaccines are in short supply and, worse still, in the poorer parts of Africa.
Under those circumstances, good personal hygiene, such as frequent hand washing and keeping away from infected people, becomes significant in minimizing the risk.
Africa CDC has secured 280,000 vaccine doses—enough to inoculate just 140,000 people, since each person needs two doses.
The group says there is an immediate need for more resources and donations of the vaccine if it is to successfully contain this outbreak.
The Big Picture: Will Mpox Spread Further?
Experts reckon that timely action with adequate resources can prevent the spread of mpox. That case in Central Africa, however, where it has spread as an epidemic, is very startling.
As many are now desperately trying to understand where this new threat came from, lessons learned from COVID-19 stress the need to act fast and as one to avoid spreading it further.
For now, being informed and taking basic precautions are your best defenses against mpox.
In case you or anyone else experiences first symptoms, seek urgent medical care to help contain this virus and protect public health.
