The World Health Organisation (WHO) has hailed monkeypox a ‘global health emergency’.
Image via Twitter
@WHO
Two children contract monkeypox: WHO declare ‘global emergency’
Amid monkeypox being hailed a ‘global healthy emergency’, the WHO warn that children are ‘high risk’ of contracting ‘severe’ complications.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has hailed monkeypox a ‘global health emergency’.
Image via Twitter
@WHO
The first two confirmed cases of monkeypox in children have been recorded in the US, officials reported last Friday.
This comes amid the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the global outbreak a “global health emergency”. The last time WHO issued such an alert was in January 2020 in response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to Reuters, more than 16 000 cases in over 70 countries around the world have been recorded. Europe is currently the epicentre of transmissions, claims the news agency.
ALSO READ: ‘The most traumatic experience’ – Man details monkeypox ordeal
TWO CHILDREN CONTRACT MONKEYPOX
According to officials, two children – a toddler in California and another in Washington DC tested positive for monkeypox.
Despite their prognosis, the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said both children were “doing well”.
According to CDC, children under the age of 8, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are considered “high risk” of developing “severe” monkeypox.
SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION
According to South Africa’s National Institute For Communicable Diseases (NICD), monkeypox has a “low transmission rate” and does not spread in the same way as Covid-19 or the common flu.
Unlike Covid-19, monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 amongst a troop of monkeys used for research purposes. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in Congo.
The NICD shared in a series of tweets:
“Monkeypox spreads through close contact such as kissing, cuddling, or touching parts of the body with lesions (wound).”
“Symptoms include fever and general flu-like symptoms, followed by the eruption of a blister-like rash on the skin. The disease is rarely fatal and cases typically resolve within two to four weeks. Most cases do not require hospital treatment”
“Monkeypox is a rare viral infection in humans. Any persons, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, can catch monkeypox if they have close contact with someone infected with the virus”
“If you are recovering from monkeypox at home, protect others by staying in a separate room, using separate utensils, doing your own laundry, and cleaning shared spaces such as bathrooms after every use. Abstain from any close contact including sex, touching, hugs, or kissing”
“Research shows that an infected person is contagious from the onset of the rash/lesions through the scab stage. Once all scabs have fallen off, a person is no longer contagious”
“Some people may need to be hospitalised to manage pain or prevent serious complications. If your symptoms get worse, please seek medical attention”
Twitter
Photo: Stock/Canva
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MONKEYPOX
The monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as the variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. It is not related to chickenpox
Whilst data shows that gay men are at the highest risk of contracting the virus, the NICD stresses that “anyone – regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation – can contract monkeypox if they have close contact with someone infected with it”.
Monkeypox does NOT discriminate . Anyone – regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation – can contract monkeypox if they have close contact with someone infected with the virus. #MonkeypoxIsNOT #BustingMonkeypoxMyths pic.twitter.com/TDnd8tTug0
— NICD (@nicd_sa) July 15, 2022
Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The virus spreads through skin-to-skin contact, through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated surfaces.
Whilst condoms can offer protection against a range of STI’s, they do not prevent the spread of monkeypox, claims the NICD.
Tags:
