A31-years-old man in the Kannur district of Kerala became the second confirmed caseof monkeypox in India. The man returned from Dubai on the 13th of Julyand is now being treated at Pariyaram Medical College. Indiareported its first case of the disease on July, 14th from Keralaitself, when a 35 years old man was diagnosed with the virus upon his arrivalfrom the UAE. Following this development, the centre issued guidelines to portsand airports to keep a strict vigil in the case of international travellers.
“They were advised to ensure strict health screeningof all arriving international travellers which can minimise the risk ofimportation of monkeypox cases into the country. They were advised and re-orientedin the clinical presentation of monkeypox disease as per the ministry ofhealth’s ‘Guidelines for Management of Monkeypox Disease’,” the Centre in itsorders said.
Buthow far the case is sensitive from the Indian perspective, is it a matter ofred alert or being cautious? This explainer will clarify all that you have inmind?
Transmission of the disease:
The American health protection agency for the Centrefor Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its statement on the virus has previouslyinformed that the disease that causes pimples or blisters and flu-like symptomsspread through close contact. That includes direct physical contact with lesions aswell as “respiratory secretions” shared through face-to-face interaction, andtouching objects that have been contaminated by monkeypox lesions or fluids.The virus may also pass to a foetus through the placenta.
Virus spreading from animals to humans is alsopossible, either by being scratched or bitten by the infected animal or byconsuming the products made from the infected animal. Dr John Brooks, the CDC’schief medical officer of HIV prevention, told CNN thatmonkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection in the typical sense, but itcan be transmitted during sexual and intimate contact, as well as with personalcontact and shared bedding and clothing. The CDC also added in its remark on the disease thatit is not completely clear whether or not the virus spread through semen orvaginal fluids, but one thing that is certain is the disease can’t spread asymptomatically.Which becomes a bit easy in detecting the infected person.
Itsworldwide effect:
The WHO in its last updated information on the virus releasedon June, 17th informed that a total of 2103 laboratory cases havebeen confirmed, with one probable infection and one death has been reported todate since the beginning of the year. The world health body said that globally around 60countries have seen the infection by far. A Reuters tallyfrom 15 July puts the total cases of monkeypox at 11,500. In Europe, Austria recorded 80 cases whereas Belgium had a total of 224 cases. France andGermany had a total infection count of 912 and 1,859 respectively. Spain hadanother 2,447 cases of monkeypox recorded until 12 July.
The United Kingdom had 1,856 confirmed cases as of 14July, including 1,778 in England, 46 in Scotland, 12 in Northern Ireland and 20in Wales. The United States as of 14 July had recorded 1,469 cases of monkeypox. European Union health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides,reacting to the spread of the disease in the area was quoted as tellingReuters, “I am concerned by the increasing number of monkeypox cases in theEU.”
Where should our concern lie?
Largely health experts all around the globe aresomehow or the other of the unanimous view. They say that monkeypox is aself-limiting disease, which means it will get adjusted by itself and will notleave huge harmful effects on the patient’s health. A virologist associatedwith the University of Oxford Dr Shahid Jameel informed about the virus thatfor this to transmit there is a requirement of close contact that forhuman-to-transmission to happen, there is no big deal the spread can be fairlyhalted. “Thisis something we definitely need to take seriously. We don't know the scope andthe potential of it yet, but we have to act like it will have the capability ofspreading much more widely than it's spreading right now,” Dr Anthony Fauci,director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)told CNN last Saturday.
How can we protect ourselves?
By far there is no treatment available for the same,the WHO recommends supportive treatment depending on the symptoms. It isadvised to isolate if you are affected by it or stay away from those who areinfected by it. Maintaining hygiene is the foremost thing you shouldtake care of if the premises has been contaminated by the infected person.
Lastly, if you feel that you might have got infectedwith it, check on the symptoms and seek the necessary medical attention as soonas possible to evade future repercussions, take a test and start themedications under the Doctor’s guidance.