Mpox is a raging outbreak that has become a global health scare. Here is all you need to know about transmission, symptoms and prevention.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared mpox a global health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Cases have been on a steep rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo and now they started spreading outside Africa as well. Cases have been reported in Sweden and Pakistan as well. With bordering nations reporting mpox cases, India has been on high alert. How does mpox spread? Is India at risk of mpox? These questions loom large as the world gears up tp tackle the mpox outbreak.
How Does Mpox Virus Spread?
Respiratory droplets might play a role in the spread of Mpox but not as efficiently as Covid-19 or even flu, said infectious disease experts as per IANS report. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prolonged face-to-face interactions (such as talking or breathing)” may increase the risk of transmission. The WHO also maintains that respiratory droplets (and possibly short-range aerosols) can result in Mpox transmission.
“This suggests that respiratory droplets might play a role in transmission. That being said, it’s considered to play a lesser role in transmission dynamics as compared to direct intimate contact and sexual contact which are the primary modes of transmission,” Dr. Dipu T S, Professor and Unit Chief, Infectious Diseases Department, Amrita Hospital, Kochim told IANS.
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“Unlike highly transmissible airborne viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2, Mpox isn’t likely to spread during casual short encounters,” Dr. Lancelot Mark Pinto, Consultant Pulmonologist and Epidemiologist, P. D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre told IANS.
However, family transmission, getting in contact with infected person or space is more likely to spread the virus.
Mpox: Symptoms and Prevention
Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. The disease is currently seeing an outbreak in Africa with over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported.
It majorly causes fevers, headaches, and muscle aches, as well as painful boils on the skin. It spreads from person to person through close, skin-to-skin contact. “The predominance of children in the DRC epidemic suggests transmission may be respiratory. In fact, smallpox and Mpox are respiratory viruses, and Mpox has been identified in ambient air,” the researchers noted.
Health authorities have alerted, airports and borders have heightened security checks to screen people with mpox. It is important to maintain proper personal hygiene and have nutrient rich diet to boost immunity as well.
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In a recent development, The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine maker, has also announced plans to develop a vaccine for Mpox. “Serum Institute of India is currently working on developing a vaccine for Mpox,” said CEO Adar Poonawalla, in a statement, adding that the company will share “positive news within a year’s time”.
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