And when I look back over the past, say, four decades alone, living in Ottawa, I’m very conscious of the fact and proud to have been a part of the movement. Even as an individual, I look back and take a lot of pride in being a member of the very first ‘out’ generation. “My story, especially around Pride, is very simple.
She said WHO’s priority was to stop the current spread of monkeypox before the disease became entrenched in new regions. Lewis said it was also uncertain how much immunity people who were previously vaccinated against smallpox might still have, since that was at least more than four decades ago. Smallpox vaccines are also protective against monkeypox. After smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, countries suspended their mass immunization programs, a move that some experts believe may be helping monkeypox spread now, since there is now little widespread immunity to related diseases. Monkeypox is related to smallpox, but has milder symptoms. WHO’s Lewis also said while previous cases of monkeypox in central and western Africa have been relatively contained, it was not clear if people could spread monkeypox without symptoms or if the disease might be airborne, like measles or COVID-19. RELATED: Biden on Monkeypox: Outbreak should concern 'everybody,' as health experts are baffled No deaths have been reported in the current outbreak beyond Africa. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. Most monkeypox patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. WHO says thousands of cases are reported from Nigeria and Congo every year. Nigerian authorities confirmed the country’s first monkeypox death this year, in addition to six more cases. Aime Alongo, chief of the Sankuru health division in Congo, also said 465 cases have been confirmed, making it one of the worst-hit nations in West and Central Africa.
On Monday, authorities in Congo said nine people have died of monkeypox in 2022. This is the first case reported in the U.S. was confirmed out of Massachusetts on Wednesday. Scientists haven’t yet determined whether the monkeypox outbreak in rich countries can be traced to Africa, but the disease continues to sicken people on the continent.Ī case of monkeypox in the U.S.
That marks a significant departure from the disease’s typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Last week, a top adviser to WHO said the monkeypox outbreak in Europe, U.S., Israel, Australia and beyond was likely linked to sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. "You may have these lesions for two to four weeks (and) they may not be visible to others, but you may still be infectious," she said. RELATED: Smallpox vaccine Jynneos can prevent monkeypox, CDC says She also warned that among the current cases, there is a higher proportion of people with lesions that are more concentrated in the genital region and sometimes nearly impossible to see. Monkeypox is known to spread when there is close physical contact with an infected person, their clothing or bedsheets. Lewis said it’s unknown whether monkeypox is being transmitted by sex or just the close contact between people engaging in sexual activity and described the threat to the general population as "low." Last week, WHO said 23 countries that haven’t previously had monkeypox have now reported more than 250 cases. Mike Cirigliano discusses the rare virus. Massachusetts reported a case of monkeypox in a man who recently traveled to Canada on May 18, 2022. What is monkeypox and what are the symptoms?