While the world is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday MPox as a global health emergency. As per WHO's official website, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus determined that the upsurge of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). WHO Chief Tedros declared MPox a global health emergency after an emergency meeting with IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts. As per WHO, the Committee informed Dr. Tedros that it considers the upsurge of Mpox to be a PHEIC, with the potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent.
What is Mpox?
As per WHO, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
What are the symptoms of Mpox?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also shared Mpox symptoms so that the world and doctors could understand the disease. Below are Mpox symptoms-
- Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Laboratory confirmation of mpox is done by testing skin lesion material by PCR.
- It is pertinent to mention here that a person diagnosed with Mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.
How does Mpox spread?
Mpox can affect anyone. The virus spreads from contact with infected:
1) persons, through touch, kissing, or sex
2) animals, when hunting, skinning, or cooking them
3) materials, such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles
4) pregnant persons, who may pass the virus on to their unborn baby.
What are the precautions suggested by the WHO from Mpox?
1) stay home and in your own room if possible
2) wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer, especially before or after touching sores
3) wear a mask and cover lesions when around other people until your rash heals
4) keep skin dry and uncovered (unless in a room with someone else)
5) avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently
6) use saltwater rinses for sores in the mouth
7 ) take warm baths with baking soda or Epsom salts for body sores
8) take over-the-counter medications for pain like paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen.
How to identify Mpox?
As per WHO, identifying mpox can be difficult as other infections and conditions can look similar. It is important to distinguish Mpox from chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, herpes, syphilis, other sexually transmissible infections, and medication-associated allergies.
WHO suggests that the detection of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the preferred laboratory test for Mpox. The best diagnostic specimens are taken directly from the rash – skin, fluid or crusts – collected by vigorous swabbing. In the absence of skin lesions, testing can be done on oropharyngeal, anal or rectal swabs.
Mpox knocks on India's door
Notably, on Friday, India's neighbouring country Pakistan confirmed its first Mpox case of the year. A 34-year-old man who recently returned from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the virus. Apart from Pakistan, Sweden announced that a person in Stockholm "has been diagnosed with Mpox", marking the first case of the deadly strain to be diagnosed outside the African continent.