World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has encouraged affected countries to identify all monkeypox cases and contacts so that the outbreak can be managed. In his statement, he mentioned that the disease is being reported mainly to men who have sex with men.
“Cases have been mainly reported, but not only among men who have sex with men. Some countries have begun to report cases of apparent community transmission, including some cases in women ” WHO Director General Tedros said.
According to the WHO, monkeypox is usually a self-limiting condition lasting two to four weeks. It can be especially dangerous for young people, pregnant women, and those who are immune due to other factors. Incubation lasts an average of six to 13 days, but it can last anywhere from five to 21 days.
Are men who have sex with other men more likely to get monkeypox?
Monkeypox spreads from person to person close personal contact, according to WHO. Monkeypox is not only a risk for sexually active people or men who have intercourse with other men. Anyone who comes into close personal contact with an infectious person is at risk. Anyone experiencing symptoms that may indicate monkeypox should seek medical attention as soon as possible. People belonging to the communities where the cases have been documented are included.
Men having sex with men have been identified in many cases reported from non-endemic countries. Sexual health clinics were used to identify these cases. It is possible that the increasing reports of monkeypox cases in communities of men who have sex with men is due to this demographic’s positive health-seeking behavior. Monkeypox rashes can look like sexually transmitted diseases like herpes and syphilis, which may explain why these cases are being reported in sexual health clinics. As we learn more, we may be able to trace cases to the wider community.
Need to protect against monkeypox
On 8 June, the Director-General of the WHO stressed the need to prevent further spread of the disease. He said, while no deaths had been documented so far, the risk of monkeypox spreading to non-endemic countries was “real”.
“More than 1,000 #monkeypox cases have been reported from 29 countries where the disease is not endemic, with no deaths so far in these countries. All cases from @WHO affected countries to control the outbreak and prevent further spread and urges to identify contacts,” Tedros tweeted.
Typical symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain and fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by skin rashes and sores.
(with agency input)