Mpox is an outbreak that has spread and become a global health threat. Here’s everything you need to know about transmission, symptoms, and prevention.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global health emergency of international concern (GHEC). Cases have risen sharply in the Democratic Republic of Congo and have now started spreading outside Africa as well. Cases have also been reported in Sweden and Pakistan. With neighbouring countries reporting mpox cases, India has been on high alert. How does mpox spread? Is India at risk of mpox? These questions loom over the world as it prepares to tackle the mpox outbreak.
How does the Mpox virus spread?
According to infectious disease experts, as per an IANS report, respiratory droplets may play a role in spreading Mpox, but not as efficiently as COVID-19 or even the flu. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prolonged face-to-face interactions (such as talking or breathing) can increase the risk of transmission. The WHO also maintains that respiratory droplets (and possibly short-range aerosols) can lead to Mpox transmission.
“This suggests that respiratory droplets might play a role in transmission. That said, they are considered to play a minor role in the transmission dynamics compared to direct intimate contact and sexual contact, which are the major modes of transmission,” Dr Dipu TS, professor and unit head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Amrita Hospital, Kochim, told IANS.
“Unlike highly transmissible airborne viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2, Mpox is not likely to spread during brief casual encounters,” Dr Lancelot Mark Pinto, consultant pulmonologist and epidemiologist at PD Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, told IANS.
However, family transmission, contact with an infected person or the space in which they are found, are more likely to spread the virus.
Mpox: Symptoms and Prevention
Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in the rainforest areas of central and western Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. The disease is currently experiencing an outbreak in Africa, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths.
It mainly causes fever, headaches, muscle aches, and painful boils on the skin. It is transmitted from person to person through direct skin contact. “The predominance of children in the DRC epidemic suggests that transmission may be respiratory. Indeed, smallpox and Mpox are respiratory viruses, and Mpox has been identified in ambient air,” the researchers noted.
Health authorities have issued warnings and airports and borders have reinforced security controls to detect people with MPOX. It is important to maintain adequate personal hygiene and have a nutrient-rich diet to also strengthen immunity.
In a recent development, Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has also announced plans to develop a vaccine for Mpox. “Serum Institute of India is currently working on developing a vaccine for Mpox,” CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a statement, adding that the company will share “positive news within a year.”
