The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Case monkeypox or monkey pox have been reported worldwide in recent weeks. More than 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in at least 12 countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said there were another 50 suspected cases under investigation and more cases were likely to be reported. Reported in Times of India As of Wednesday (05/25/2022), infections have been confirmed in nine European countries, as well as the US, Canada and Australia.
The disease is most common in remote areas of Central and West Africa. According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), this is a rare viral infection that is usually mild and most people recover within a few weeks. Are you curious, where did the disease actually get its name? Why is it named smallpox monkey?
Scientists came up with the name monkeypox in 1958 after it was first detected in laboratory monkeys. The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, during a period of intensive efforts to eradicate smallpox. Since then, monkeypox has been reported in humans from other central and western African countries.
Because monkeypox and smallpox have similarities, the smallpox vaccine injection offers good protection against the disease. According to research, the Imvanex smallpox vaccine is about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox. Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox, and causes less severe disease.
According to WHO, newer vaccines have been developed and one of them has been approved for monkeypox prevention. An antiviral developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox.
It is not yet clear why this unusual outbreak is occurring now. Monkeypox is not easily spread between humans and is thought to be transmitted from wild animals such as rats to humans.
However, some ways of transmission between humans include touching clothing, bedding, or towels used by someone with stupid monkeypox. Touching a blister or scab on the skin can also transmit the disease. This virus can also be spread through coughing or sneezing of people who have a monkeypox rash.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) researcher Susan Hopkins said “the vast majority” of recent cases in the UK and Europe had been found in gay and bisexual men. “So we specifically encourage them to be aware of symptoms and seek help if concerned,” says Hopkins.
Individuals who come into close contact with someone who has monkeypox have the potential to get the virus. According to WHO, the incubate monkeypox usually from six days to 13 days, but can also range from five to 21 days.
Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. The skin rash usually begins within one to three days after the appearance of the fever.
The rash tends to be more concentrated on the face and extremities than on the trunk. It can affect the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals, and cornea. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks.
