Monkey Pox
Why in news:
- Recently, there has been an increase in reported cases from some countries, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific Region.
What is monkeypox?
- Monkeypox, or Mpox, is a viral disease that primarily spread to the human population through zoonotic spillovers, with rodents and primates serving as potential reservoirs.
- Mpox can be transmitted between humans through close contact and exposure to infected bodily fluids or lesions.
- Sexual contact is also believed to contribute to the spread of the disease particularly among certain demographics.
- Mpox was a rare infection that was predominantly restricted to some countries in Africa until early 2022, when a rise in cases across the globe where the disease was not endemic, particularly in Europe and North America.
- According to WHO, over 87,000 cases of Mpox have been reported to date since January 2022, including 146 deaths.
Global situation update:
- In recent weeks, overall global cases of Mpox have been decreasing, but some regions are seeing an increase in reported cases.
- In the European region, new cases have been reported from Spain and the U.K.
- But the large European and North American outbreaks observed in 2022 have been brought under control through vaccination campaigns and increasing awareness about the disease.
- The global situation of Mpox is, however, far from being resolved, with an increasing number of reports from new countries.
- Significant impacts observed in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific region.
- Mpox being reported from newer territories is worrisome as the disease is potentially expanding its reach through an undetected spread, posing new challenges in its containment efforts.
Syllabus: Prelims
