Monkeypox cases are on the rise in Europe and other parts of the world as experts in Spain suspect that a pride parade could have been the superspreader event for the disease. The World Health Organisation confirmed 92 cases in 12 countries and doctors are also assessing that the disease could have a massive impact on the sexual health of the people.
In the recent outbreak, which started in the UK, cases have been found in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the US, Canada, Israel, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, and Australia.
NYC Asks Residents to Use Masks
NYC has also asked the residents to use masks to prevent people from the disease after a monkeypox case was found in the city as the disease can easily spread from close contact with the infected person. The person, who is from New York City, is isolated after showing symptoms of the virus.
People infected with the monkeypox develop symptoms similar to flu as fever, body aches, and chills but they also get also swollen lymph nodes and a distinctive rash on the face and other body parts.
Biden Concerned Over Monkeypox
President Joe Biden on Sunday also said that everybody should be concerned about the monkeypox disease and stressed that the US is exploring treatments and vaccines for the disease.
Meanwhile, experts suspect that the disease, which is deadly and can kill one among 10, could be spreading through gay sex as most of the cases in the UK are found in men.
Although the current strain is less lethal and has a death rate of one among the 100 people.
Monkeypox Impacts Sexual Health
The disease was first discovered in 1958 when the pox-like disease was found in monkeys. While in 1970, the first human case was found 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease is prominently reported in the western and central African countries.
Meanwhile, sexual health clinics in the UK have asked their staff members to isolate themselves as monkeypox infections surge in the country.
Staff in sexual health clinics were "already under significant pressure" and monkeypox was making that situation worse, said Dr Claire Dewsnap, a consultant in genitourinary medicine and president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV.
Dewsnap stated that it is already stretching the workforce and will have a massive impact if staff have to isolate if they are in close contact with someone who's infected, according to BBC.
WHO Expands Disease Surveillance
The WHO revealed that the recent viral infections are atypical as they occur in the non-epidemic countries but so far the UN health agency has failed to determine the cause of the outbreak.
However, the WHO maintains that it's in touch with the affected countries and has expanded the disease surveillance.
Officials have suggested that jabs for smallpox can also protect people from getting monkeypox as diseases are closely related. In the US, the Jynneos vaccine is licensed to be used against smallpox. Jynneos, also known as Imvamune or Imvanex, is proven 85% effective against the monkeypox.
