Viruses A rare monkey pox has spread to Europe, the first case in the United States – such a disease

In Europe several rare cases of monkeypox have been reported this week. Dozens or suspected cases have been detected in a short time, at least in Britain, Spain and Portugal.

By Wednesday, nine cases had been reported in Britain and five in Portugal. The Spanish health authorities identified 23 suspected infections.

The first case of monkey pox of the year in a man who had just arrived from Canada was reported in Massachusetts, USA, on Wednesday.

In Montreal, Canada, 13 suspected cases of monkeypox were investigated on Wednesday, Radio-Canada says.

The U.S. Infectious Diseases Authority (CDC) said it was tracing the Massachusetts infection and said it would not pose a risk to the wider population. The infected person is in good condition in the hospital.

At issue is a rare infectious disease in Europe characterized by fever, headache and a distinct, vesicular rash. The disease is usually mild.

Outbreaks of smallpox-like disease are common in western and central Africa.

There are two main variants of the virus. The Congo transformation is usually more severe and can have a mortality rate of 10 percent. Mortality in the West African variant accounts for about one percent of cases.

At least the cases found in Britain have been diagnosed with West African monkeypox.

“Historically [ulkomailta] there have been very few cases. This has only happened eight times before this year, ”the professor said Jimmy Whitworth The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine tells Reuters.

Monkey pox virus spreads through close contact, such as through body secretions or bedding. It can pass from animal to human but less frequently from human to human.

The virus was first found in monkeys in 1958. Today, rodents are considered to be the main vectors of the disease.

Experts have been preoccupied with why the disease seems to be spreading right now. The nine cases in Britain also have no known connection to each other. Only the first of those who had contracted the disease had recently traveled to Nigeria.

It is therefore possible that many cases will go unreported.

According to British health authorities, the majority of cases have been reported in homosexual or bisexual men or men who have sex with men. Authorities urge these groups to exercise caution.

One a possible reason for the proliferation of cases is the large-scale removal of corona restrictions, which has increased travel.

“My current theory is that there is a lot of disease in West and Central Africa, Travel continues and that’s why we see more cases,” Whitworth says.

According to him, there is no reason to panic, as monkey pox will not cause a similar wave of infection as the coronavirus.

“But it’s a serious epidemic of a serious disease – and we should take it seriously.”