Be ready to fight against mpox

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 14 August declared the ongoing mpox (monkeypox) outbreak in parts of Africa as a public health emergency of international concern. This highly contagious disease, previously known as monkeypox, has already claimed the lives of at least 450 people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus has since spread across central and east Africa, alarming scientists due to the rapid spread of a new variant and its high fatality rate.
In July 2022, the WHO classified monkeypox as a global health emergency, finding that the virus could be transmitted through sexual contact, occurring in more than 70 countries. Although the number of cases eventually declined, leading the WHO to lift the emergency status in May 2023, concerns about the virus remain.
The Health Agency of the African Union stated that more than 18,000 people suffered from Mpox in Africa this year. Monkeypox is primarily transmitted through close contact, such as skin-to-skin contact, sexual contact, and even through talking or breathing in close proximity to an infected person. The virus may cause a mortality rate of approximately four per cent.
Currently, the WHO has confirmed at least 92 cases of monkeypox in regions outside of Africa, including Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, experts from WHO believe that the current monkeypox infections can be controlled and are unlikely to lead to a pandemic on the scale of COVID-19.
Early symptoms of monkeypox resemble those of the flu and include chills, exhaustion, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, and swollen lymph nodes. Respiratory symptoms like sore throat, nasal congestion, and cough may also occur. These symptoms typically begin within 21 days of exposure to the virus. It is necessary to welcome that Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic recently said it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting monkeypox by 2025.
A person infected with monkeypox can transmit the virus to others from the onset of symptoms until the rash has fully healed and new skin has formed. Fortunately, there have been no reported cases of monkeypox in Myanmar so far, and the country remains unaffected by the outbreak.
While the current situation is concerning, authorities and health organizations are working to monitor and control the spread of monkeypox to prevent it from becoming a more extensive global health threat. Currently, Myanmar needs to make the necessary preparations to prevent a possible outbreak of monkeypox. Whatever it may be, all people, including health staff, need to be ready to fight against monkeypox.