I went on the World Health Organisation (WHO) website to read about this virus. According to the WHO website, the virus was first identified in the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1958 during an investigation into a pox-like disease among monkeys. The virus can be fatal illness in humans and is transmitted to people from various wild animals but has limited secondary spread through human-to-human transmission. As of yet, there is no treatment or vaccine available
Transmission
The virus can be transmitted from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals. In Africa, human infections have been documented through the handling of infected monkeys. Also, avoid handling rats and squirrels, with rodents as they have been said to be the major reservoir of the virus. Eating inadequately cooked meat of infected animals is a possible risk factor.
Secondary, or human-to-human, transmission can result from close contact with infected respiratory tract secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or objects recently contaminated by patient fluids or lesion materials. Transmission occurs primarily via droplet respiratory particles usually requiring prolonged face-to-face contact, which puts household members of active cases at greater risk of infection. Transmission can also occur by inoculation or via the placenta (congenital monkeypox). There is no evidence, to date, that person-to-person transmission alone can sustain monkeypox infections in the human population
Signs and symptoms
The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) of monkeypox is usually from 6 to 16 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.
The infection can be divided into two periods:
1. The invasion period (0-5 days) characterized by fever, intense headache, lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph node), back pain, myalgia (muscle ache) and an intense asthenia (lack of energy);
2. The skin eruption period (within 1-3 days after the appearance of fever) where the various stages of the rash appear, often beginning on the face and then spreading elsewhere on the body. The face (in 95% of cases), and palms of the hands and soles of the feet (75%) are most affected. Evolution of the rash from maculopapules (lesions with a flat base) to vesicles (small fluid-filled blisters), pustules, followed by crusts occurs in approximately 10 days. Three weeks might be necessary before the complete disappearance of the crusts.
Prevention
During human monkeypox outbreaks, close contact with other patients is the most significant risk factor for monkeypox virus infection.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission. Close physical contact with monkeypox infected people should be avoided. Gloves and protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill people. Regular hand washing should be carried out after caring for or visiting sick people.
Reducing the risk of animal-to-human transmission. Efforts to prevent transmission in endemic regions should focus on thoroughly cooking all animal products (blood, meat) before eating. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn while handling sick animals or their infected tissues, and during slaughtering procedures.
The government should be active in raising awareness of the risk factors and preventative measures.
This information was culled from the WHO website and I believe is accessible to all. If you know anyone who really believes the propaganda going on in social media, please refer them to the WHO website and other useful websites where they can attain information on how to prevent and mitigate the spread of this virus.
Read more:http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs161/en/
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