Monkey Pox Fact Sheet – The risk of coronavirus is not gone yet, and the United States has been hit with a new virus. This time monkeypox started spreading in the life of Americans. Till today, we have recorded more than 5500 cases of monkeypox virus, and New York City alone has recorded more than 1500 cases.
A huge number of people have started the federal government and people of the LGBTQ community for spreading the virus. Every health expert in the world will leave that the monkeypox virus is just limited to some countries in Africa, but this latest spread has been affecting Western countries.
Keeping everything in mind, today we are here going to discuss monkey pox fact sheets so that you can learn about the virus and ensure your safety. We are going to use official sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
What is the Monkeypox Virus?
Let’s start with the basics. Monkeypox disease is caused by a virus with a similar name. The disease might cause moderate to severe symptoms, but they are usually mild.
The virus was first discovered back in the 1950s when a pox-like disease was found in two Colonies of monkeys that would be kept for research purposes. Even though the source of the virus is completely unknown, health experts named it as monkey virus because it was first discovered in monkeys.
The first human case of the monkeypox virus was recorded back in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After that, most cases of the monkeypox virus were recorded in African countries.
The current outbreak of the monkeypox virus has shocked every health expert in the world as most health experts will leave that the monkeypox virus is just limited to African countries. Now it has been spreading at rapid speed in Western countries, including the United States, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Symptoms of the Monkeypox Virus
Just like any other disease in the world, the infection of the monkeypox virus can also have some symptoms. Before we start discussing these symptoms, let me remind you that most symptoms associated with the monkeypox virus are also associated with some other diseases, including coronavirus.
Kindly do not self-diagnose yourself as infected with the monkeypox virus just based on these symptoms. Whenever you have any doubt regarding the disease, you can consult with your doctor and confirm it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently issued a press release stating all the symptoms of the monkeypox virus.
- skin rash
- dry cough
- body aches
- swollen lymph nodes
As per the CDC, you might experience the above-given symptoms if you have been infected with the virus. The current variants spreading in Western countries, including the United States, Spain, and others, are not as deadly as it is in African countries.
That is why most people are not getting severe symptoms of the monkeypox virus, and they get better within two weeks of their exposure to the virus.
Diagnosis and treatment of Monkeypox Virus
When you learn about the symptoms of the monkeypox virus, there is a probability that you might be able to diagnose yourself at home, but you should always get a professional opinion.
The self-diagnosis can be it can just help you ensure your safety, including the safety of your friends and family. Your doctor might also be able to diagnose the monkeypox virus by just taking a look at your symptoms along with your personal information, including sexual orientation.
If your doctor believes you have a suspected case of the monkeypox virus, then you might be asked to get a biopsy or lab test for confirmation.
There is no fixed treatment for the infection of the monkeypox virus. Your doctor might be able to contain the severity of symptoms using different combinations and guidelines from the Centers for Disease control and prevention.
You will also be advised to get a vaccine for the monkeypox virus as early as possible. Unlike other vaccines, the vaccine for the monkeypox virus is capable of helping you in that treatment even if you have already been infected with the virus.
Important facts about the Monkeypox Virus
Before we move ahead, let’s first take a look at the important facts regarding the monkeypox virus and its latest spread in Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. These facts will help you understand the virus even more clearly than you ever know.
- The spread of the monkeypox virus is not just limited to gay men or any men who have intercourse with other men.
- Anyone in the world can get affected by the monkeypox virus.
- Monkeypox is not a new virus that is caused by the LGBTQ community. It was first recorded back in the 1950s, and the first human case of the monkeypox virus was recorded back in the 1970s.
- Monkeypox virus is not a sexually transmitted disease. Even though the CDC and World Health Organization have released guidelines stating that you should limit your sexual partners, it doesn’t mean that it is a sexually transmitted disease.
- Smallpox and monkeypox viruses are from a related family. The vaccine for the smallpox virus can also work on the monkeypox virus.
- Monkeypox is not a fatal disease, but in central and western Africa, studies have recorded a death rate of around 1 to 10%.
- Two vaccines are available in the United States to protect people from the monkeypox virus. Both vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States.
World Health Organization on Monkeypox Virus.
Soon after the spread of the monkeypox virus in May 2022, the World Health Organization released an impressive statement containing a monkeypox fact sheet and all the rumors regarding the disease.
The World Health Organization mentioned that the monkeypox virus could be transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, and respiratory droplets, but it is not a sexually transmitted disease.
Anyone can get infected with the monkeypox virus, and it is not just limited to some men who have intercourse with other men or the LGBTQ community. In African nations, the monkeypox virus has been infecting even children.
To ensure your safety against the monkeypox virus, you should stay away from animals that might contain the monkeypox virus. Rodents and Primates are known to be the carriers of the virus.
There is a probability that the monkey poop virus can be transmitted through humans, animals, and materials containing the virus. Even if you are maintaining a 2-meter distance from an infected person, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get infected.
The World Health Organization believes there is an incubation period for the monkeypox virus, which is usually from 6 to 13 days, but it can go as far as 5 to 21 days. At the same time, there is a probability that you will feel better within two to four weeks.
View of CDC on Monkeypox Virus
Before we wrap up this session, let’s take a look at what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been saying regarding the spread of the monkeypox virus in the United States.
As soon as the spread of the monkeypox virus started in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched this separate section on its official website where you can check everything related to the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also believe that the monkeypox virus can spread through personal contact, including skin-to-skin contact. You should try to avoid having intimate contact with unknown persons.
The CDC is currently looking for studies and trying to figure out whether the virus can spread without any symptoms. Apart from that, the CDC is also working on other modes of spread.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccination for monkeypox to people who have been exposed to the virus. They have also set the eligibility criteria to receive the vaccination as the supply of vaccines is currently limited in the United States.
To increase transparency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the 2022 outbreak tracker can help you learn more about the total number of active cases in the United States and all around the world.
You can simply click on the above-given button to reach the web page of the Centers for Disease control and prevention. On the web page, you will find some options, including a US map of cases and a global map of cases. You can simply select the one depending on your need.
How long will the infection of the monkeypox virus last?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that the infection of the monkeypox virus can stay in your system for around two to four weeks. There is a probability that you might experience mild to moderate symptoms associated with the virus. Apart from all this, you should remember that there is an incubation period of 6 to 12 days before you start experiencing any symptoms.