Category: Monkey Pox

Faced once again with a rapidly spreading epidemic of mpox, the World Health Organization on Wednesday declared a global health emergency. The last time the W.H.O. made that call was in 2022, when the disease was still called monkeypox.

Ultimately the outbreak affected nearly 100,000 people worldwide, primarily gay and bisexual men, including more than 32,000 in the United States.

The W.H.O.s decision this time was prompted by an escalating crisis of mpox concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It recently spread to a dozen other African countries. If it is not contained, the virus again may rampage all over the world, experts warned.

On Thursday, Sweden reported the first case of a deadlier form of mpox outside Africa, in a person who had traveled to the continent. Occasional imported cases like the current one may continue to occur, the countrys public health agency warned.

Theres a need for concerted effort by all stakeholders, not only in Africa, but everywhere else, Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a Nigerian scientist and chair of the W.H.O.s mpox emergency committee, said on Wednesday.

Congo alone has reported 15,600 mpox cases and 537 deaths, most of them among children under 15, indicating that the nature of the disease and its mode of spread may have changed.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit andlog intoyour Times account, orsubscribefor all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?Log in.

Want all of The Times?Subscribe.

More:

How Did Mpox Become a Global Emergency? Whats Next? - The New York Times

Illustration of the mpox virus

Getty Images/Science Photo Library

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern over an ongoing outbreak of mpox formerly known as monkeypox in Central and West Africa. This is the second time in two years that the disease has spread enough to prompt such a declaration from the WHO. On 15 August, Swedish health officials confirmed a case as the first known infection outside of Africa with the mpox strain that is currently driving the outbreak.

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as that which causes smallpox. It regularly spreads among animals in Central and West Africa such as rodents and monkeys, but occasionally jumps to people, causing small outbreaks.

There are two distinct lineages of mpox: clade I and clade II. Clade I is associated with more severe disease and higher risk of death. A subtype of clade I, called clade Ib, is driving the current outbreak, while the global mpox outbreak in 2022 and 2023 was spurred by a subtype of clade II.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest that clade Ib is more dangerous than the original clade I strain, said Jonas Albarnaz at The Pirbright Institute in the UK in a statement.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported on 13 August that there have been more than 17,000 suspected cases across the continent. This is just the tip of the iceberg when we consider the many weaknesses in surveillance, laboratory testing and contact tracing, the agency said in the statement.

There have been 15,664 reported cases and 537 deaths so far in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone, according to the WHO. This exceeds the total seen in 2023, according to a statement by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the WHO on 15 August.

The current outbreak originated in a small mining town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The mpox variant has now spread to at least 11 other African countries, including four that had previously never reported mpox: Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. Mpox has also been detected in one person in Sweden.

While more than 99.9 per cent of people who fall ill with clade II survive, mpox outbreaks of clade I have killed up to 10 per cent of people who become sick. Children and people who are immunocompromised or pregnant are especially vulnerable to severe disease.

The first mpox symptom is usually a rash, which begins as a flat sore and then develops into a blister that may be itchy or painful. The rash tends to start on the face before spreading across the body and extending to hands and feet. People can also get lesions in their mouth or on the genitals or anus.

The rash and lesions usually last between two and four weeks and are often accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.Symptoms usually begin within a week of contracting the virus but can start anywhere from one to 21 days after exposure. However, some people can contract the virus without experiencing symptoms.

Mpox is spread through close contact with people who have the illness. Usually this is through skin-to-skin contact, such as sex, kissing or touching. The virus can also spread through respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated materials such as bedsheets, other linens or sharp objects like needles. People remain infectious until all of their sores heal.

Mpox can also spread through contact with infected animals such as through bites or scratches, or when people hunt or eat them.

Young adults and children have been most affected by the current outbreak, a trend that was not seen in the 2022-2023 outbreak. In some provinces of the DRC, children under 15 account for up to 69 per cent of suspected cases.

Treatment primarily consists of managing symptoms and preventing complications like secondary infections. Some antivirals that were originally developed for treating smallpox have also been used to treat mpox in the past. However, results from a recent trial of the antiviral drug tecovirimat, which was used in the previous outbreak, found that it was not effective against the clade I virus. People who have mpox should self-isolate and wear a mask. They should also avoid scratching sores, which can prevent them from healing, increase the risk of secondary infections and cause them to spread to other parts of the body.

There is an mpox vaccine, which provides the best protection after two doses. Smallpox vaccines have also been found to protect against mpox, though it isnt clear if any of these vaccines will be effective against the new mpox variant.

People are recommended to get vaccinated only if they are at high risk of contracting mpox. For people who arent in areas affected by the current outbreak, the risk remains very low.

Countries in Africa currently have minimal to no vaccine supplies, though estimates suggest the region needs 10 million doses, said Jimmy Whitworth at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in a statement.

Topics:

Read more here:

Everything you need to know about the mpox outbreak - New Scientist

We developed an agent-based model to simulate sexual mpox transmission among MSM. We adapted a previous model that assessed clade II transmission in MSM networks, adding new data on U.S. sexual network structures and exploring transmission parameters to represent clade I mpox.

We produced simulations for 13 counties among 50 jurisdictions in the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative. The 50 EHE jurisdictions account for more than half of all new HIV diagnoses, and many represent urban areas across the United States with large MSM populations. We chose 13 counties that represent a range of mpox population immunity levels (11%-88%) across the 50 non-state EHE jurisdictions, prioritizing counties that are hubs for international travel and large events. For each of the 13 counties, we established baseline population-level immunity based on vaccination and case reporting to DCIPHER as of February 2024. We assumed that prior infection with clade II mpox provides full protection against both mpox clades, and that vaccination with the JYNNEOS vaccine provides partial but strong immunity (75.2% and 85.9% for one dose and two doses, respectively).

We then generated sexual networks with sizesequivalent to the estimated MSM population for each county. The sexual behavior within the networks was estimated from an online survey of cisgender MSM from across the United States. We assumed that the distribution of type and frequency of sexual behavior is the same across all counties as data does not exist to estimate these parameters at a local level. Finally, we also modeled short-term behavioral adaptations as a reduction in the frequency of spontaneous or one-time sexual encounters, assuming a level of behavioral adaptation in our analyses similar to what occurred in the District of Columbia in 2022 based on previous modeling work and documentedacross the United States.

The cumulative number of infections and proportion of simulation runs with infections remaining one year after introduction of the virus were compared across three transmission scenarios. Transmission scenarios included the following: 1) baseline, parameterized for clade II (74.5%); 2) clade I, assumed 10% more transmissible than clade II (81.9%); and 3) clade I, assumed 20% more transmissible than clade II (89.4%). For each simulation, we assumed that five MSM with the highest levels of sexual activity (defined as having one or more spontaneous/one-time sexual partners per week in addition to any main or casual partners) were exposed to mpox and ran the simulation for one year. We summarized results across 1,000 simulation runs for each county and scenario combination.

The updated model was fit to sexual network data that was collected more recently (2017-2019), representing MSM across the United States rather than a single geographic region. Furthermore, we added data on oral sex partnerships in addition to anal sex partnerships and recalibrated sexual activity group strata to better characterize the range of sexual activity reported in the data. We also calibrated the clade II transmissibility parameter using clade II mpox case data from early in the 2022 outbreak. This parameter has a calibrated distribution of (4.24, 1.45), with mean equal to 74.5% probability of transmission per contact.

We also added additional transmission parameters to explore possible clade I scenarios. While there are no studies that estimate the exact difference in per-contact transmissibility between the globally circulating clade II virus and clade I in humans, there is evidencethat rash intensity and detectable viral loads are greater for clade I relative to clade II in traditional zoonotic and household transmission settings, and a small mammal model demonstrated that virulence of clade I is greater than clade II. We generalized these lines of evidence, assuming a 10% increase relative to clade II (81.9% per-contact transmissibility) and a 20% increase (89.4% per-contact transmissibility).

Lastly, previous work modeled a range of immunity to mpox using a single population size, where in this work we modeled county-specific MSM population size and composition of population-level immunity. This generates more variance in our results, but both approaches come to similar conclusions about the overall level of population-level immunity that is protective against prolonged transmission of mpox.

Population-level immunity was calculated as the total number of immune people in each county divided by the estimated size of the MSM population with increased risk of mpox exposure in that county. Total number of immune people included everyone reported to have received one or two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine through January 2024, all people with diagnosed mpox through March 2024, and an estimate of the number of undiagnosed mpox infections based on previous modeling work. We estimated the size of the MSM population with increased risk of mpox exposure in each county using county-level estimates from survey data reduced by 40% to reflect the smaller proportion of MSM considered higher activity based on national survey data.

Read the original:

Risk of Clade 1 Mpox Outbreaks Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States - CDC

Swedish health officials said Thursday they have identified the first case of a person with the more infectious form of mpox first seen in eastern Congo, a day after the World Health Organization declared the outbreaks there and elsewhere in Africa to be aglobal emergency.

The Swedish public health agency said in astatementthe patient recently sought health care in Stockholm.

In this case a person has been infected during a stay in the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of (the more infectious mpox), the agency said.

Magnus Gisslen, a state epidemiologist with the Swedish health agency, said the person had been treated and given rules of conduct.

The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, Swedish officials said, adding that experts estimate that risk to be very low. They said, however, that occasional imported cases may continue to occur.

Earlier this year, scientists reported theemergence of a new formof the deadlier form of mpox, which can kill up to 10% of people, in a Congolese mining town that they feared might spread more easily. Mpox mostly spreads via close contact with infected people, including through sex.

WHO said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in more than a dozen countries across Africa this year, which already exceed last years figures.

So far, more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in a single country Congo.

Given the resources in Sweden and other rich countries to stop mpox, scientists suspect that if new outbreaks linked to Congo are to be identified, transmission could be stopped relatively quickly.

The rest is here:

Sweden reports 1st case of more infectious form of mpox first identified in Congo - Fortune

A deadly new strain of mpox that emerged in Central Africa has spread in the continent and beyond. This year's major outbreak started with Democratic Republic of Congo - killing at least 450 people - and spread to other areas in Central and East Africa. The Clade 1B strain that is behind the current outbreak is now spreading its wings to countries outside Africa. Sweden and Pakistan recorded their first cases of the highly infectious form of mpox, earlier known as monkeypox . The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, which is the highest level of alarm under international health law. Before that Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had declared a public health emergency for the continent.

The last time mpox was declared a global health emergency was in the year 2022. There are two main strains of the virus, known as Clade I and Clade II. The 2022 outbreak was caused by clade II, which is endemic in West Africa. The WHO's decision was made after mpox spread to a dozen other African countries, fearing the virus may wreak havoc globally.

Animals to humans

"Human-to-human transmission can occur through close contact, including intimate or sexual contact, with a person who has mpox. This includes touching, hugging, kissing, or sharing utensils and clothing. Additionally, mpox can spread through contact with contaminated materials, such as bedding, towels, or surfaces that have come into contact with the virus, says Dr Nasiruddin G, Consultant-Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road. Dr Laxman Jessani, Consultant Infectious Diseases Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai explains how mpox human-to-human transmission happens:

Covid Done, New Virus Emerges: 100s Killed, WHO Declares Global Health Emergency | Mpox Explained

See the article here:

Can Mpox become the new Covid? Here's how the infection is spreading in the current outbreak - The Times of India

EU countries should issue travel advice for areas impacted by mpox, European health authorities said, after the virus outbreak was declared a global emergency.

European health authorities warned on Friday that it is "highly likely" Europe will see more imported cases of mpox due to the virus spread in multiple African countries.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said, however, that "the likelihood of sustained transmission in Europe is very low" if imported cases are diagnosed quickly and measures are taken to control them.

The change to Europe's risk assessment also came a day after Sweden detected the first case of a new variant, that is likely more transmissible, outside Africa.

"We have seen, a worsening of the epidemiological situation in Africa with transmission occurring in neighbouring countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)," Bruno Ciancio, head of surveillance at the ECDC, told Euronews Health, adding that the number of cases there is likely underestimated.

"This means there is an increased risk that cases coming from Africa are imported into Europe," he added.

"This is basically why we have updated our risk assessment to make sure that we are prepared, that the European Community is prepared, to rapidly identify imported cases and prevent any further transmission".

Mpox has been spreading since last year in the DRC and has been detected in multiple African countries. The virus has so far killed more than 500 people, mostly in the DRC.

The World Health Organization (WHO)declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency earlier this week, calling for a coordinated international effort to address the crisis.

In a new risk assessment for Europe on Friday, the ECDC recommended that European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) countries issue travel advice for people visiting areas impacted by mpox.

"The likelihood of infection for people from the EU/EEA travelling to affected areas who have close contact with affected communities is high," the ECDC said in a statement.

"Additionally, there is a moderate risk for close contacts of possible or confirmed imported cases into the EU/EEA," the health agency added.

There are two subtypes of the mpox virus. Clade I, which is endemic in central Africa, is thought to cause more severe illness and higher mortality than clade II, which caused the 2022 global mpox outbreak and continues to circulate in EU countries.

Multiple African countries are currently dealing with an outbreak of clade I and a new strain related to it called clade Ib.

"What we know is that mpox clade I has been circulating in Africa for several decades, but it was only recently that we observed these very large outbreaks around the epicentre and in neighbouring areas and countries. So this may imply a change in the level of transmissibility which may be related to the genetic evolution of the virus," Ciancio told Euronews Health.

He added that while historically clade I has been seen as more severe, it could be that only the severe cases are being tested and that more information about the virus is needed.

Sweden's public health agencyreported the first imported case of clade Ib in Europe this week.

"As a result of the rapid spread of this outbreak in Africa, ECDC has increased the level of risk for the general population in the EU/EEA and travellers to affected areas," Pamela Rendi-Wagner, director of the ECDC, said in a statement.

"Due to the close links between Europe and Africa, we must be prepared for more imported clade I cases".

While European health authorities say that the impact of clade I will be low in Europe, they recommend "high levels of preparedness planning and awareness-raising activities" to handle cases that reach Europe.

This includes effective surveillance, testing, and contact tracing to detect cases of mpox in Europe.

The ECDC also recommends that travellers to areas impacted by mpox look into getting vaccinated.

Clinicians should be made aware of the possibility of seeing mpox cases, according to Ciancio, as the disease is not endemic in Europe.

He highlighted, however, that the risk should not be overestimated.

"We are dealing with a disease that we already know, for which there [is] a vaccine, which has proven effective and safe," he said.

This story has been updated with quotes from an interview with an ECDC expert.

Read more from the original source:

Mpox cases 'highly likely' to be imported to Europe, ECDC warns - Euronews

A new version of the mpox virus has emerged in Central Africa, spreading among children and adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries.

Infection with mpox causes a pus-filledskin rash lasting up to fourweeks, which can be very painful.

But what symptoms should we look out for and what can we do to reduce the risk of infection?

You might have heard of mpox with its former name monkeypox. Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus.

The virus was first discovered in 1958 in Denmark, when an outbreak that resembled smallpox was described in monkey colonies kept for research.

Although it is called "monkeypox virus," the original source of the virus is still unknown. Researchers suggest that rodents or small mammals, like squirrels andprimates,might harbor the virus.

Mpox cases outside regions likeCentral and West Africa,where the virus is endemic, have historicallybeen rare and were usually linked to travel or imported animals.

In the span of two years, however, the WHO has twice declared the spread of mpox a global health emergency.

In 2022, mpoxspread to more than 70 countries that hadn't reported cases previously.

This year, a new mpox variant caused a surge of cases and deaths inCongo and in neighboring countries, causing WHO to again declare the spread of the virus an emergency with international concern.

The virus can enter the body through broken skin, mucous membranes (such as the eyes, mouth and nose) and through the respiratory system.

You can get infected by coming into close contact with people with mpox, such as skin-to-skin contact during kissing, hugging, sex (oral, anal or vaginal) and massages.

Prolonged face-to-face interactions with someone with mpox (like talking or breathing)can cause infection from respiratory droplets carrying the virus.

You can also get mpox from an infected person's body fluids through shared sex toys, bedding or towels. Pregnant people can pass the virus to their baby.

If you are in direct contact with infected animals, you can also contract mpox. This includes skinning, cooking, eating and hunting infected animals or getting bitten or scratched.

An infected person can pass on the virus even before symptoms start, and transmission can continue until all skin lesions are healed and a new layer of skin has formed. This can take weeks.

The viral infection usually begins with a rash that can be located near the anus or genitals, or on the chest, face or mouth. The rashcan then extend to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and other parts of the body.

The rash can be painful and itchy and resemble pimples or blisters at first, which go through several stages before the scabs fall off.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Flu-like symptoms can start before or after the rash. Those include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches or chills. Some people report difficulty peeing and a painful swelling of their anus.

Symptoms usually start within 21 days of exposure to the virus.

Dangerous complications can occur when the lesions become infected, leading to abscesses.

Other complications can include severe dehydration caused by diarrhea or vomiting, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or the heart (myocarditis) and others.

People who are immunosuppressed because of medical conditions or medication are at higher risk of complications from mpox.

Sex workers,health care workers and people who have multiple sexual partners are at a higher risk of contracting mpox.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, those at risk also include pregnant people, children younger than one,and people with a history of eczema.

During the 2022 outbreak,manypeople who initially presentedsymptoms were mainly, but not exclusively, men who have sex with men.

However, the World Health Organization has pointedout that anyone who comes in contact with a person infected with mpox can get infected themselves, regardless of sexual orientation.

Most people recover from mpox in two to four weeks. If you or your partner has mpox, avoiding having sex, touching or kissing can reduce the risk of spread.

The Centres for Disease Control and Preventionrecommends avoiding close contact with people who have a visible rash at parties, clubs and festivals, where little clothing is worn, and skin-to-skin contact happens often.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Having fewer sexual partners and using condoms also reduces the risk of infection. However, condoms don't prevent infection if you come into contact with lesions or body fluids from other parts of the body.

The CDC has also warnedagainst touching objects handled by a person with mpox, including utensils, towels and bedding, and urged frequent hand-washing.

You can also get vaccinated, although this may not be a current option in your region and might depend on your risk of complications and exposure.

In the US for example, people at high risk of infection or complications can get theJynneos smallpox vaccine to help prevent mpox.

Because the mpox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, vaccines that are used to prevent smallpox can also be administered to protect from mpox infections.

Edited by: Martin Kuebler

Sources:

Amer F, Khalil HES, Elahmady M, et al. Mpox: Risks andapproaches to prevention. Journal of Infection and Public Health. Published June 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2023.04.001

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mpox and Your Health. Published September 13, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/your-health/index.html

Robert Koch Institute, Federal Center for Health Education, Berlin, Cologne. Flyer, transmission and prevention of mpox. Published February 13, 2023. https://www.rki.de/EN/Content/infections/epidemiology/outbreaks/Monkeypox/Mpox-Flyer_EN.pdf

van Ewijk CE, Miura F, van Rijckevorsel G, et al. Mpox outbreak in the Netherlands, 2022: public health response, characteristics of the first 1,000 cases and protection of the first-generation smallpox vaccine. Eurosurveillance. PublishedMarch 2023. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.12.2200772

World Health Organization (WHO). Mpox questions and answers. Published December11,2023. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/monkeypox

Continue reading here:

What is mpox, how is it spread, and how can it be prevented? - DW (English)

UK health chiefs say they are making plans in case a new type of mpox virus is detected in the country - but they emphasise the risk is low.

It comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that outbreaks in west and central Africa constitute a global health emergency.

Mpox, previously known as monkey pox, is a contagious virus that can cause painful skin lesions.

Plans are under way to ensure UK healthcare workers are aware of the key signs to look out for and have rapid tests available.

A case of mpox has also been detected in Sweden after a person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where the disease is spreading.

One of the main reasons the WHO called for global action against mpox is the emergence of a new type of the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), known as Clade 1b.

This type of mpox has been detected in a growing number of African countries in the past year and there are concerns that it can sometimes cause severe disease and death.

Mpox has killed at least 450 people in the DRC.

Currently, there are no cases of Clade 1b mpox confirmed in the UK but experts say cases can spread if international action is not taken.

Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: The risk to the UK population is currently considered low.

"However, planning is under way to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK.

"This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection, and the prevention of onward transmission.''

The disease - formally known as monkeypox - can be passed on by close contact with anyone with the infection or with infected bedding and surfaces, for example.

Common symptoms often include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last two to four weeks, fever, headache and muscle aches.

Symptoms often clear up in two weeks but it can be fatal, particularly for people with weakened immune systems.

Children and pregnant women may also be at greater risk.

In 2022, the WHO declared a separate outbreak of Clade 2 mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern.

This was lifted in May 2023 after cases declined.

It spread to nearly 100 countries which do not normally see the virus, including some in Europe and Asia.

There was a large outbreak in the UK in May 2022, mostly affecting men who have sex with men.

A vaccination campaign helped to cut its spread.

UKHSA figures suggest there were 3,732 confirmed and highly probable cases reported in the UK up to the end of 2022.

Some 239 cases have been reported up to July this year.

Of these, 225 were in England, with 98 patients presumed to have caught the virus in the UK and 74 outside the country. Testing is ongoing.

More here:

Mpox risk to UK low but medics on alert - BBC.com

This page either does not exist or is currently unavailable.

From here you can either hit the "back" button on your browser to return to the previous page, or visit the ABCNews.com Home Page. You can also search for something on our site below.

STATUS CODE: 404

See the article here:

Mpox was declared a global public health emergency by the WHO. Now what? - ABC News

usatoday.com wants to ensure the best experience for all of our readers, so we built our site to take advantage of the latest technology, making it faster and easier to use.

Unfortunately, your browser is not supported. Please download one of these browsers for the best experience on usatoday.com

More here:

As mpox continues to cross borders, is the US prepared for an outbreak? - USA TODAY