Monkeypox

 

Epidemiological situation in the world on monkeypox and preventive measures

Epidemiological situation

08/14/2024 The World Health Organization has declared the monkeypox epidemic in Africa a public health emergency.

Currently, cases are registered in African countries. According to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 10.09.2024, more than 24 thousand cases of monkeypox have been registered in the African region in 2024, including 643 deaths.

At the same time, in the second half of August 2024, cases were registered:

Sweden has one case of infection with the new strain of monkeypox, the first outside Africa. As of September 5, no secondary cases have been identified;

In Australia (New South Wales), more than 90 new cases of monkeypox have been reported in two months;

Pakistan reports 2 cases of monkeypox in people returning from the United Arab Emirates;

The Philippines has recorded 1 case of monkeypox infection in the country ;

A case of monkeypox has been reported in Thailand in a traveler returning from an African country.

According to ProMEDmail, as of 09/09/2024, monkeypox has been registered in the following countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand and Uganda - a total of 18 countries.

According to information from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, there have been no cases of monkeypox registered in the country to date.

General rules of prevention

To reduce the risk of person-to-person transmission, close physical contact with people infected with monkeypox or with similar symptoms should be avoided.

It is necessary to observe the rules of general hygiene, including washing hands with soap and using alcohol-containing antiseptics.

Travelers should familiarize themselves with the epidemiological situation in the country of destination in advance; when visiting countries where monkeypox is registered, avoid contact with animals that may be infected with the causative agent of this disease (rodents, marsupials), and refrain from eating the meat of wild animals.

For reference: infection occurs as a result of direct contact with blood, biological fluids, as well as affected skin or mucous membranes of infected animals (some species of monkeys or rodents.

The main routes of transmission from person to person are:

contact-household: occurs as a result of close contact with secretions from the respiratory tract, damage to the skin of an infected person, or with objects infected with biological fluids;

sexual.

Key warning signs that do not rule out monkeypox

fever;

enlarged lymph nodes;

muscle pain;

with rash.

The rash usually appears within 1-3 days after the onset of fever. The rash is most often localized on the face, as well as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals, conjunctiva and cornea are also affected.

The rash progresses sequentially from flat-based primary lesions to vesicles/bubbles filled with clear or yellowish fluid. The rash resolves with crusts that dry up and fall off. The number of skin lesions varies from a few to thousands. In severe cases, the lesions may be confluent.

More detailed information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, the State Institution "Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health".