Monkeypox virus outbreak: How it spreads, symptoms & treatment
An investigation has been launched into the recent outbreak of monkeypox cases by health authorities in Europe, the U.S. and Australia. Many European countries have reported cases of the rare viral disease.
At the moment, experts are attempting to to determine the root cause of the recent cases. They are fearing a wider outbreak as some cases have been linked to travel from Africa.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare disease and it is caused by the monkeypox virus. Although, it is less severe but a part of the same family as smallpox. The virus was first detected in captive monkeys in 1958 and it generally occurs in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
How does a person catch monkeypox?
A person gets infected with this rare disease when he comes into close contact with another person, animal or material infected with the virus. It can enter your body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose and mouth.
A human can catch it from another human primarily through large respiratory droplets. Humans won’t catch it from the animals unless they are bitten or scratched.
Symptoms of monkeypox?
When a person gets infected with the monkeypox, the first symptoms takes between 5-21 days to appear. Following are some of the symptoms of monkeypox:
- a high temperature
- a headache
- muscle aches
- backache
- swollen glands
- shivering (chills)
- exhaustion
Treatment for monkeypox
At the moment, there are no proven and safe treatments for monkeypox. The illness is usually mild and most people recover in 2 to 4 weeks. You should isolate yourself if diagnosed with it as it can spread to other people.
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