Africa CDC reports more than 45,000 cases of Mpox
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The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said the number of mpox cases has exceeded 45,000 since the beginning of the year. During an online press conference, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said that since the beginning of this year, a total of 18 African countries had reported 45,327 cases of monkeypox, of which 9,114 were confirmed, while that the number of deaths had surpassed the 1,000 mark. .
Kaseya also said that in the last week alone, the African continent reported 2,729 new cases, of which 1,001 were confirmed, and 36 new deaths were recorded. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi accounted for 96 percent of all new confirmed cases.
Africa CDC data shows that the Central Africa region recorded 85.5 percent of all reported cases and 99.5 percent of deaths. In mid-August, the Africa CDC declared the current mox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency. Shortly after, the World Health Organization (WHO) also declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a zoonotic disease and was first discovered in monkeys. Hence it was called monkeypox. Mpox usually causes a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. While most people recover from this condition, some can become seriously ill.
The virus is transmitted from person to person through touch, kissing or sexual relations. However, it is usually infected from animals by hunting, skinning or cooking them. It can also be transmitted through contaminated sheets, clothing or needles and from infected pregnant mothers to their unborn babies.
Symptoms of Mpox
Symptoms of mpox tend to appear within 21 days of contracting the virus. Symptoms may include flu, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and cough. Other symptoms of mpox include:
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Backache
- Feeling very tired
- Muscle pain and back pain.
Mayo Clinic says that about 1 to 4 days after flu-like symptoms, people usually develop a rash. Often, the mpox rash first appears on the face, hands, or feet and then spreads to other parts of the body. The rash may also start in the genital area, mouth, or throat. There may be many rash spots, a few spots, or just one.
How does Mpox spread??
The virus that causes mpox can be transmitted to humans from animals or from person to person. The virus can be transmitted from person to person in the following ways:
- Direct contact with rashes, scabs, or body fluids of a person with mpox.
- Close contact, face to face, intimate activities and sexual contact.
- Contact with fabrics or objects that have been in contact with rashes or body fluids from a person with mpox
- A pregnant person who contracts mox can transmit the virus to the fetus.
- The virus can also be transmitted to humans through direct contact with an infected animal, including:
- Animal bites or scratches
- Contact with excrement or body fluids of the animal.
- In places where mpox spreads regularly, the processing of animals for food, including hunting or trapping, skinning, cooking, or eating.
(With inputs from IANS)
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