Monkeypox’s knock in Delhi-Telangana too
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a health emergency regarding monkeypox. After Kerala, cases have also been reported in Delhi and Telangana. The person who has been found infected with monkeypox in Delhi. His international travel There is no history.
Earlier, three patients of monkeypox have been found in Kerala. All these three patients had returned from UAE and there they came in contact with an infected person. Now at such a time this question is arising, has the community spread of monkeypox started in the country?
How did Monkeypox start?
Monkeypox is not a new disease. It was first detected in a group of monkeys in the late 1950s. The virus is similar to variola (the causative agent of smallpox) and vaccinia virus (the virus used in one of the available smallpox vaccines). It is of the same genus. It was outbred in 1958 during a research being done on monkeys in Copenhagen, Denmark, only after this incident the name of monkeypox first emerged.
How is monkeypox spread?
According to Dr. Dhiren Gupta, Intensivist and Senior Consultant of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, animals have an important role in the spread of monkeypox. It is believed that this virus spreads when humans and monkeys come in contact or from animals like rats and rabbits. The strain found in West Africa is considered less severe than the strain in Central Africa. He further said that Clade 2 IE African strain is spreading all over the world.
Who is more at risk?
Prolonged contact with animals (monkeys, squirrels, wild rodents) or animal flesh (wild animals) or those in close contact with infected persons. It does not spread through the air, but if one is in close contact with an infected patient (within 3 hours, 2 metres), can be transmitted through large droplets. It is less contagious than smallpox and chickenpox.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
The incubation period of monkeypox virus is 6 to 13 days. Sometimes it can be from 5 to 21 days. Incubation period means how many days it took for symptoms to appear after getting infected. Symptoms such as fever, severe headache, swelling, back pain, muscle pain and fatigue appear within five days of being infected. Monkeypox initially looks like chickenpox, measles or smallpox. After one to three days of fever, its effect starts showing on the skin. Pimples appear on the body. Small pimples appear on the hands, feet, palms, soles of the feet and face. These pimples look like sores and dry up on their own and fall off.
Who is most at risk from monkeypox?
- Most cases of monkeypox have been seen in men.
- According to WHO, men and men who have sex with the LGBTQ community are more at risk.
- Droplets can also be spread through droplets to a person who is in close contact with the patient for a long time.
- People suffering from health complications (serious diseases) for a long time are also at high risk.
According to WHO’s Dr. Tedros, this is currently one such outbreak, which is concentrated among men who have sex with men. Especially in those who have sex with more than one person. That is why it is imperative that all countries work together with communities of men.
According to Dr. Sanjay Rai, Professor of Community Medicine at AIIMS, it cannot be called just a sexually transmitted disease (STD. At present, it cannot be said that this disease is just an STD, or only sexually transmitted disease through sexual contact. It is not spread like HIV.
How can I stop the spread?
Isolate yourself in the room for three weeks, until all the wounds are gone. Usually the duration of infection with monkeypox virus is from 5 to 13 days, but it can be from 4 to 21 days.
Earlier this year, 3040 cases of monkeypox were reported to the WHO from 47 countries. Since then, its outbreak has been increasing and now more than 16 thousand cases have been reported from 75 countries and territories. There have also been five deaths in this. Dr Tedros said that since the first human case was reported in the Republic of Congo in 1970, experts have not seen it spread at a rate in the last 50 years.
According to Dr Sanjay Rai, this disease was first recorded in a human in the Republic of Congo in the 1970s. There was an outbreak in many African countries, in 2003 an outbreak was also seen in America. But the transmission of zoonotic diseases has increased in the last few years. Be it covid19 or any other disease.
Which vaccine for monkeypox?
According to Dr. Rai, there are two vaccines available to reduce the risk of monkeypox, which can reduce the risk of developing monkeypox. Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine (JYNNEOS in the United States, IMVANEX in the European Union, and IMVAMUNE in Canada) and the ACAM2000 vaccine. The small pox vaccine only provides 82-85% protection against monkeypox.
The heated debate on linking monkeypox to the LGBTQ community
There is a heated debate around the world linking monkeypox to the LGBTQ community, causing outrage among the people of this community. Experts say that it is not right to blame a particular group of people. However, the WHO should do more to declare it a sexually transmitted disease. Infection disease specialist Dr. Ishwar Gilada says that it is the 21st century sexually transmitted disease. HIV began among the MSM (men who have sex with men) population but soon spread to heterosexuals, as is the case with monkeypox. Gilada suggests that it may be caused by India’s NACO (National AIDS) control organization) to act in view of the successes in the HIV control and treatment programme.
