GB News: Tempers flare over monkeypox 'hysteria'
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Meanwhile, in the United States, the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) has raised its alert level to level two.
Although there are fewer cases of monkeypox in the United States than the UK, health officials are keen to reduce the spread of the virus as much as possible.
The CDC is now recommending people return to wearing masks while travelling.
In a statement they said: “Wearing a mask can help protect you from many diseases, including monkeypox.”
They added travellers should avoid close contact with sick people and stay away from dead or live wild animals.
The CDC’s move is significant as it shows how worried some health officials are.
Mask wearing was an act which became the default of almost entire populations during COVID-19 lockdowns and became a symbol of people doing what they could to reduce the spread.
Dr Amesh Adalja added his opinion on what had happened: “What’s likely happened is an endemic infectious disease from Africa found its way into a social network and then was great aided by major amplification events to disseminate around the world.”
In a statement released on the 4th June the WHO (World Health Organisation) said: “As of 2nd June 2022, there have been no deaths associated with the current monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries, however, cases and death continue to be reported from endemic countries.”
As the virus continues to spread, patterns are beginning to emerge in patient cohorts; data from the UK suggests the virus mainly affects young LGBTQ+ men.
This isn’t to say monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease or that it just affects the LGBTQ+ community.
The virus, like COVID-19, can infect anyone regardless of their sexuality.
It is mainly spread through large droplets or through people passing it on by spending time the bed sheets of another.
It is for this reason some viral experts are worried about the summer’s festivals acting as super-spreader events for the virus.
London regional director for public health Professor Kevin Fenton said: “Monkeypox can affect anyone but we know that many of the most recent diagnoses are in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, many of whom live in, or have links to London.”
Symptoms of monkeypox to look out for include:
• A rash
• High temperature
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen glands
• Shivering
• Exhaustion.
The rash normally appears one to five days after the first symptoms and the condition normally clears after a few weeks.
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