Mpox Virus: Understanding the Risk in Non-Affected Countries

World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has ruled the Mpox formerly known as monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).

World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has ruled the Mpox formerly known as monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). It has become a major concern for international public health.

Mpox is an infectious disease that causes the patient an unbearable, painful rash. In public health, generally, people recover from it, but there are cases where, due to various reasons, the situation of the patients has worsened. It is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) which is from the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family.

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The outbreak has been there in Africa since 2022 but it's in 2024 when the U.S. and Europe are at risk now and including other countries. In declaring the PHEIC, Dr. Tedros said, "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

The disease spreads through close contact like skin-to-skin touch, mouth-to-mouth touch, mouth-to-skin touch, and sex it can also include breathing close to one another. People with same-sex partners have higher chances of getting the disease.

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The countries that haven't been affected yet have these concerns,

Transmission: International travel is getting restricted as some tourist visiting an affected nation are bringing the disease to their country or vice versa.

Long-term effects: If not tackled properly it can re-create the COVID phenomenon stopping the world from functioning and trapping everyone at home again.

Treatment for the outbreak is to take care of the rash, manage pain, and prevent complications, early help is best in this case if you show symptoms like palms of hands and soles of feet, face, mouth and throat, groin, and genital areas, and anus get yourself checked by the doctors as early as you may.

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