It has spread to Asia! Children are the hardest hit area, WHO's highest level of alert
2024-08-19
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Two years later
Monkeypox outbreak revived
Widespread international attention
According to the latest reports
Monkeypox outbreak spreads from Africa
Spread to Europe and Asia
Sweden and Pakistan
Patients confirmed to be infected with monkeypox virus
The World Health Organization has announced
Monkeypox outbreak composition
“Public Health Emergency of International Concern”
The epidemic has spread to Europe and Asia
Sweden reports first case of monkeypox outside Africa
The Swedish Public Health Agency issued a bulletin on the 15th that a patient in the Stockholm area was confirmed to be infected with the monkeypox "branch I" strain.This is the first confirmed case of this strain of virus in a patient outside the African continent who had traveled to Africa.
Image source: CCTV News Client
The health department said the "clade I" strain is similar to the disease caused by the "clade IIb" strain of monkeypox previously found in Sweden, but is expected to be more severe and have a higher mortality rate. Sweden has previously reported about 300 cases of monkeypox, all of which are related to the global spread of the "clade IIb" strain."Branch IIb" strains are mainly transmitted through sexual contact, while "Branch I" strains are mainly transmitted through other contact routes, especially close contact within the family, and often infect children.
Pakistan has confirmed three cases of monkeypox this year
CCTV reporters learned that the health department of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said on August 16 local time that two cases of monkeypox were found in the province, and samples from another patient were sent to the hospital for confirmation. Currently, the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in the country this year has increased to three.
Image source: CCTV News Client
On August 15, local time, the Pakistani Ministry of Health said that the country had discovered its first confirmed case of monkeypox since 2024.
Number of suspected or confirmed monkeypox cases so far this year
Exceeded last year
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the 17th that the number of suspected or confirmed monkeypox cases reported in Africa this year has exceeded the number of cases in the whole of last year.
Data shows that monkeypox outbreaks have occurred in 12 member states of the African Union, with a total of 18,737 cases reported, including 3,101 confirmed cases, 15,636 suspected cases, and 541 deaths, with a mortality rate of 2.89%.
The cases involve three strains of the monkeypox virus, one of which is a new, more deadly and more transmissible "clade Ib" variant that began spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last September. Currently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also the country most seriously affected by the monkeypox outbreak, with cases reported in all 26 provinces of the country.
What’s different about this monkeypox outbreak?
The proportion of "branch I" strains has increased
According to Xinhua News Agency, citing the British journal Nature, researchers detected the main strain that caused the global monkeypox epidemic in 2022, the "branch II" strain, in some cases of infection. However, in recent months, the proportion of "branch I" strains in reported cases of infection has gradually increased. Over the past few decades, the "branch I" strain has caused several small-scale transmissions in Central Africa, usually limited to a few families or communities.
Children and adolescents under 15 years old are the hardest hit
It is worth noting that, unlike the first monkeypox outbreak two years ago, the people most affected this time are women and children under the age of 15. Children account for more than 70% of the cases and 85% of the deaths, and the mortality rate for children is four times that of adults.
Regarding this new trend, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic revealed that it may be the result of the combined effect of multiple factors: they have not been vaccinated against smallpox (monkeypox and smallpox belong to the same genus of virus), and smallpox vaccination has a certain protective effect against monkeypox; they have not been exposed to the virus before; they have close contact with family members who may be sick in a crowded environment."In addition, children's immune systems are underdeveloped. While these factors contribute to their susceptibility, more research is needed to fully understand why children are so disproportionately affected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Jasarevic said WHO has developed a plan to better understand the spread of the disease within families and communities.
Is there a risk of cross-border transmission?
According to Lu Hongzhou, director of the National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases and president of Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, "Considering the peak tourist season and frequent international exchanges, the risk of cross-border transmission of monkeypox virus may increase accordingly, but monkeypox virus is mainly transmitted through long-term close contact, such as sexual intercourse, skin contact, and breathing or talking with others at close range, and its ability to spread between people is relatively weak."
There has been a sudden increase in local monkeypox cases in my country. In June 2023, a local monkeypox outbreak began in my country. From June to August, the number of confirmed local monkeypox cases exceeded 1,000. From September 20 of the same year, monkeypox was included in the management of my country's statutory Class B infectious diseases.
“Based on current prevention and control measures and domestic epidemic monitoring, the possibility of a rapid increase in infections in mainland China in 2023 is low.”Lu Hongzhou said.
How can the public prevent it?
On September 20 last year, my country announced that monkeypox would be included in the management of Class B infectious diseases and adopt prevention and control measures for Class B infectious diseases. How is monkeypox transmitted? How can it be prevented? The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention has previously provided relevant interpretations.
How is monkeypox spread?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, with the source of infection including monkeypox cases and infected non-human primates such as rodents, monkeys and apes.
Monkeypox virus mainly invades the human body through mucous membranes and broken skin, and is transmitted by direct contact with the diseased skin or mucous membranes of cases. It can also be transmitted by contact with virus-contaminated objects, long-term close-range inhalation of respiratory droplets from cases, contact with respiratory secretions, disease exudates, blood and other body fluids of infected animals, or infection by bites or scratches from infected animals.
After infection with monkeypox virus, the incubation period is 5 to 21 days, mostly 6 to 13 days.The initial clinical manifestations are mainlyFever, rash, swollen lymph nodesSymptoms may develop into a rash over the face and body. Most people recover within a few weeks, but some people become seriously ill or even die.
The general population is susceptible to the monkeypox virus, and people who have been vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine have a certain degree of cross-protection against the monkeypox virus. At present, the main route of transmission of monkeypox is through sexual contact among men who have sex with men. The risk of the general population being infected with the monkeypox virus is currently low.
How to prevent it?
1. Avoid sexual intercourse with people whose health status is unknown. People traveling abroad should pay attention to the monkeypox epidemic information in the destination countries and regions, and avoid contact with rodents, primates and other animals.
2. If high-risk behavior occurs, you should monitor your health for 21 days and avoid close contact with others. If you develop symptoms such as rash, herpes, fever, etc., you should seek medical attention promptly and inform your doctor of your relevant behavioral history.
3. If your family or friends are diagnosed with monkeypox, you should pay attention to personal protection, avoid close contact with the patient, avoid contact with clothes, bedding, towels and other daily necessities used by the patient, avoid sharing the bathroom, and wash your hands frequently and ventilate the room frequently.
National Emergency Broadcast Alert
Despite the fierceness of monkeypox
But by taking proper precautions
Maintain good hygiene habits
Most people can effectively reduce their risk of infection
No need to worry too much
