August 15th 2024.
The world is facing a major health crisis as the number of deaths from mpox continues to rise. This highly contagious virus, also known as monkeypox, was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but has now spread to over a dozen countries in Africa. With more than 500 recorded deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a global health emergency and is calling for international assistance to prevent its further spread.
What makes this particular outbreak even more alarming is the fact that a new strain of the virus has been detected. This strain appears to have a higher death rate, around 3-4%, and is spreading rapidly. In comparison, a previous outbreak in 2022 had a death rate of less than 1%. It is believed that this new strain is primarily affecting gay and bisexual men.
Since the first documented cases in 1970, mpox has continued to wreak havoc across the globe. From Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Singapore to London, this virus knows no borders. It is primarily spread through close contact with an infected person, including through sexual contact, skin-to-skin contact, and even breathing near someone who is infected.
The symptoms of mpox can range from fever and muscle aches to lesions across the body. Left untreated, it can be deadly. Other symptoms may include backaches, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion, and joint pain. One of the most telltale signs is a rash that typically appears 1-5 days after the initial symptoms.
Let's take a look at the timeline of this devastating outbreak. It all began in 1970, when the first cases were documented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fast forward to 2018, when Nigeria experienced its own outbreak with 118 confirmed cases. Later that year, the UK reported its first case in a Nigerian national, followed by Singapore in 2019.
But it was the 2022-2023 global outbreak that truly shook the world. With the emergence of a new strain, the virus spread to over 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox. This prompted the WHO to declare it a global health emergency and change its communications to use the term "mpox" instead of "monkeypox."
Thankfully, the 2022-2023 outbreak came to an end in 2023. However, cases of the clade IIb strain, which caused the global outbreak, continue to be reported outside of endemic regions in Africa. And in 2024, the WHO declared a new outbreak of mpox, once again labeling it a "public health emergency of international concern."
The fight against mpox is far from over. It is a reminder of the importance of global cooperation and swift action in containing and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Let us hope that with continued efforts, we can put an end to this deadly virus and prevent future outbreaks from occurring.
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