One Thing You Probably Might Not Know About MonkeyPox
One
Thing You Probably Might Not Know About MonkeyPox
The preventive measures to
be taken against the spread of the disease include; avoiding close contact with
infected people, avoiding consumption of bushmeat and dead animals, cooking
meat and meat products thoroughly before eating and washing hands with soap and
running water frequently and thoroughly – Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for
Health, Lagos State, Nigeria
In recent times, we have been
inundated with the Media’s report of the outbreak of MonkeyPox virus in some
parts of the country. Well, we might not know somethings about the deadly
disease and this writer hopes to bridge the knowledge gap with his article on
the subject matter. In subsequent paragraphs, I will share important tips about
MonkeyPox and include that one thing nobody knew about MonkeyPox before now.
Please enjoy and learn.
Monkeypox is a rare and
infectious disease caused by monkey virus, transmitted from animals to human,
with symptoms like those of smallpox, although less severe. The first case was
reported on September 22 in Bayelsa, and according to the Nigeria Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC), 31 suspected cases have been reported across seven
states including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River. (Culled
From: MonkeyPox: 12 things you must know about deadly disease - Don Silas)
To stay safe from this disease
that has no known cure or vaccine, 12 things are important to note.
1. Monkeypox occurs
sporadically in some remote parts of central and West Africa. It was first
discovered in monkeys hence the name, monkeypox.
2. The disease was first
identified in 1958 by the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, during
an investigation into a pox-like disease among monkeys.
3. The first human case of
monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a
period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox.
4. The infection can be
contracted from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or
mucosal lesions of infected animals like monkeys, Gambian giant rats,
squirrels, and rodents. Eating inadequately cooked meat of infected animals is
a possible risk factor.
5. The symptoms of monkeypox
are like but milder than the symptoms of smallpox. Monkeypox begins with fever,
headache, muscle aches, chills, and exhaustion. The main difference between
symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to
swell while smallpox does not. The incubation period (time from infection to
symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 7-14 days but can range from 5−21
days. Within the first three days or more, after the appearance of fever, the
patient develops a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts
of the body.
6. Secondary, or
human-to-human, transmission can result from close contact with infected
respiratory tract secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or objects
recently contaminated by patient fluids or lesion materials.
7. Monkeypox can be
transmitted from human to human through physical touch, contact with stool,
blood contact. Avoid contact with animals that could harbour the virus
(including animals that are sick or that have been found dead in areas where
monkeypox occurs).
8. Practice good hand hygiene
with or without contact with infected animals or humans. Wash your hands
regularly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
9. Avoid contact with any
materials, such as bedding, that has been in contact with a sick animal or
person. Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for
infection.
10. Vaccination against
smallpox has been proven to be 85% effective in preventing monkeypox in the
past but the vaccine is no longer available to the public after it was
discontinued following global smallpox eradication in 1980.
11. Monkeypox has been shown
to cause death in about as 10 percent of those who contract the disease.
Children are more susceptible to the infection.
12. There is presently no
known or proven, safe treatment for monkeypox virus infection. (Source: http://dailypost.ng/2017/10/10/monkeypox-12-things-must-know-deadly-disease/)
On the lighter note though, I am sure you
have read all these tips and you are still wondering what that one
thing you did not know about MonkeyPox is. Well, it is actually the first time I am
writing about MonkeyPox. Did anyone notice this? *winks*
God Bless Us All
Olusanya, Oluwole Sheriff
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