As more countries are reporting cases of monkeypox, along with Israel, the World Health Organization said it hopes to identify more cases of monkeypox as it expands surveillance to countries where the disease is common. But is not found.
“Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring between people who are in close physical contact with symptomatic cases,” the WHO said.
Monkeypox is a contagious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of West and Central Africa. It spreads through close contact, so it can be controlled relatively easily through measures such as self-isolation and hygiene.
Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease, and most infected people recover within a few weeks without treatment. However, the disease can be more severe, especially in young children, pregnant women, and individuals who are immune.
People with suspected monkeypox should be screened and isolated at the first appearance of symptoms.
Monkeypox generally does not spread easily between humans, and requires close contact, as the virus enters the body through broken skin, respiratory tract, eyes, nose and mouth, and bodily fluids. The main way it is spread is through close physical contact, including sexual contact with someone who has monkeypox.
Monkeypox is common in wild animals such as monkeys and primates, but humans can also become infected with the virus.
Symptoms include skin rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills and tiredness.
The rash eventually forms a crust, which later falls off, indicating that the person is no longer contagious.