the first case in asia! it can be transmitted through droplets, and children are the "hardest hit area"
2024-08-29
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recently, the thai ministry of public health held a press conference to confirm that the country had its first case of monkeypox ib variant. this is also the first time since the world health organization sounded the global public health alarm for the monkeypox outbreak last week.the second case of ib variant in the world and the first case in asia。
unlike the previous monkeypox virus, which was mainly transmitted through direct contact or sexual contact,the type ib variant virus discovered this time can also be transmitted through secretions (such as respiratory droplets), rashes or contaminated objects.。
the disease control department of the thai ministry of health said that the patient who tested positive for the monkeypox virus "branch ib" variant was a european male, and the laboratory test results on august 22 confirmed that he was infected with the monkeypox virus "branch ib" variant. the new strain has a mortality rate of 3% and has spread to many african countries.among known fatal cases, more than 60% occurred in patients under the age of 5.
children and adolescents are the hardest hit in this monkeypox outbreak
on august 24, zhao lei, chief physician of the infectious department of wuhan union hospital, told reporters that the monkeypox virus is divided into two evolutionary branches: branch i and branch ii. branch i was once called the central african branch or the congo basin branch; branch ii was once called the west african branch, which is further divided into branches iia and iib.
“the monkeypox clade ib virus was detected in a monkeypox outbreak in south kivu province, democratic republic of the congo in september 2023. on august 14, 2024,the world health organization declared the monkeypox outbreak a 'public health emergency of international concern' largely because of monkeypox clade ib."zhao lei said.
zhao lei introduced that in the past, the prevention of monkeypox virus mainly emphasized direct contact or sexual contact transmission. however, the "branch ib" mutant strain found in thailand this time has a new evolutionary branch i lineage. "this lineage allows the virus to be transmitted not only through animals, but also through human secretions (such as respiratory droplets), rashes or contaminated objects, which is more threatening."
it is worth noting that children and adolescents have become the hardest hit areas in this monkeypox epidemic. according to the first meeting of the world health organization on the surge in monkeypox cases in 2024, held on august 19,the most affected groups 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.
china customs urgent reminder
on august 16, 2024, the general administration of customs of china issued the "announcement on preventing the introduction of monkeypox epidemics into my country."
the announcement stated that in order to prevent the spread of monkeypox into my country and protect the health and safety of the people, in accordance with the "frontier health and quarantine law of the people's republic of china" and its implementing rules and other laws and regulations, the following announcement is now issued:
1. people coming from countries (regions) where monkeypox outbreaks have occurred, if they have been in contact with monkeypox cases or have symptoms such as fever, headache, back pain, myalgia, swollen lymph nodes, rash and mucosal rash, should actively declare to the customs upon entry. customs personnel will take medical measures and conduct sampling and testing in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
2. transportation vehicles, containers, goods and articles that come from countries (regions) where monkeypox outbreaks have occurred and are contaminated or potentially contaminated should be sanitized in accordance with prescribed procedures.
this announcement will take effect from the date of publication and will be valid for 6 months. during this period, the countries and regions newly announced by the world health organization as having monkeypox outbreaks will be subject to this announcement.
more news
what is monkeypox?
monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by the monkeypox virus. in the past, monkeypox was mainly prevalent in central and west africa. currently, monkeypox cases have been found in 111 countries and regions around the world. on may 11, 2023, the world health organization announced that the monkeypox outbreak no longer constitutes an "international public health emergency". at present, the risk of infection to the public by monkeypox is low.
data map: color transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles.
what are the clinical manifestations of monkeypox infection?
the incubation period of monkeypox virus is 5-21 days, usually 6-13 days.
first, there are chills and fever (usually above 38.5℃), accompanied by headache, drowsiness, fatigue, back pain and myalgia. most patients have superficial lymphadenopathy in the neck, armpits, groin and other parts.
the rash appears 1-3 days after the onset of the disease, mostly on the face and limbs, and can also affect the oral mucosa, digestive tract, genitals, conjunctiva and cornea. the rash changes from macules, papules, herpes, pustules to scabs. herpes and pustules are mostly spherical, about 0.5-1 cm in diameter, hard in texture, and may be accompanied by obvious itching and pain.
the scab will fall off after 2-4 weeks, leaving erythema or pigmentation at the mildest and scars at the worst, which can last for several years. some patients may develop complications, including secondary bacterial infection at the lesion site, severe dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea, bronchopneumonia, encephalitis, corneal infection, etc.
the clinical manifestations of cases discovered since 2022 are relatively mild and atypical.
what are the sources of infection for monkeypox?
the host of monkeypox virus is still unclear. it is currently believed that african rodents (african squirrels, tree squirrels, gambian kangaroos, dormice, etc.) may be its natural hosts.sources of infection include infected rodents, primates such as monkeys and apes, and patients. patients are contagious from the onset of symptoms until the scabs on the rash fall off naturally. patients may be contagious within 4 days before the onset of symptoms.
how is monkeypox spread?
the monkeypox virus mainly invades the human body through mucous membranes and broken skin, and is mainly transmitted through contact with exudates from skin and mucous membrane lesions, respiratory secretions, blood and other body fluids of infected animals or humans; it can also be transmitted through bites and scratches from infected animals, contact with objects and surfaces contaminated by infected animals or humans, long-term close inhalation of droplets or droplet nuclei from infected people, mother-to-child transmission, etc. the global epidemic since may 2022 has been mainly transmitted through male-male sex.
who is at risk for monkeypox?
smallpox vaccination provides a certain degree of cross-protection against monkeypox virus.people who have not been vaccinated against smallpox are generally susceptible to monkeypox virus.the global epidemic since may 2022,96% of the infected people are young and middle-aged men (median age 34 years old), which is related to the fact that the epidemic mainly occurs among men who have sex with men.
how to prevent monkeypox?
(1) avoid close contact with suspected monkeypox patients and avoid sexual intercourse with suspected infected persons.
(2) avoid contact with objects and materials used by the patient, such as tableware, cups, bedding, towels or clothes.
(3) avoid direct contact with wild animals in countries with high incidence of monkeypox, and avoid capturing, slaughtering, and eating raw local animals.
(4) develop good hygiene habits, clean and disinfect regularly, and maintain good hand hygiene.
(5) improve the level of knowledge and prevention and control of monkeypox, and do a good job of self-symptom monitoring. if you have unexplained fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes and other symptoms, you should actively seek medical treatment and inform the attending doctor of your overseas travel history, contact or exposure history with suspicious animals and people or monkeypox cases to assist in diagnosis and treatment.
source: china news service wechat official accountguangzhou daily new flower city editor: su wanqian
