Monkeypox spreads only through monkeys? 6 myths about the infection busted
New Delhi, May 27: The World Health Organisation has said that there are nearly 200 confirmed monkeypox cases reported in over 20 countries. It has described the epidemic as "containable" and proposed creating a stockpile to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide.
The spread of the infection has raised concerns as the world is still recovering from the Covid-19 blow. However, there are many myths associated with monkeypox and here we are busting it:
Does
Monkeypox
require
mass
vaccination
like
Covid-19
As
per
Dr
Rosamund
Lewis,
head
of
WHO's
smallpox
department,
"there
is
no
need
for
mass
vaccination."
It
is
because
it
does
not
spread
easily
and
typically
requires
skin-to-skin
contact
for
transmission.
No
vaccines
have
been
specifically
developed
against
monkeypox,
but
WHO
estimates
that
smallpox
vaccines
are
about
85%
effective.
Monkeypox
spreads
only
through
monkeys
The
disease
is
called
monkeypox
because
it
was
first
identified
in
colonies
of
monkeys
and
kept
for
research
in
1958.
It
was
only
later
detected
in
humans
in
1970.
Monkeypox can spread to people when they come into physical contact with an infected animal. Animal hosts include rodents and primates. It will spread from person to person. You can catch monkeypox through close physical contact with someone who has symptoms. The rash, bodily fluids (such as fluid, pus or blood from skin lesions) and scabs are particularly infectious. Clothing, bedding, towels or objects like eating utensils/dishes that have been contaminated with the virus from contact with an infected person can also infect others.
Monkeypox
Spreads
only
through
sex
The
risk
of
becoming
infected
with
monkeypox
is
not
limited
to
people
who
are
sexually
active
or
men
who
have
sex
with
men.
Anyone
who
has
close
physical
contact
with
someone
who
is
infectious
is
at
risk.
It
is
currently
not
known
whether
monkeypox
can
be
spread
through
sexual
transmission
routes
(e.g.,
through
semen
or
vaginal
fluids),
but
direct
skin-to-skin
contact
with
lesions
during
sexual
activities
can
spread
the
virus.
Eating
meat
causes
monkeypox
Simply
by
eating
meat
you
will
not
be
infected
by
monkeypox.
However,
one
can
catch
it
by
eating
meat
from
an
infected
animal
that
has
not
been
cooked
thoroughly,
or
by
touching
other
products
from
infected
animals
(such
as
animal
skin
or
fur).
Monkeypox
Contagious
like
Covid
Monkeypox
is
not
as
contagious
or
severe
as
COVID.
However,
its
spread
is
a
matter
of
concern.
No
suspect
cases
have
been
reported
in
India
so
far," Dr
NK
Arora,
Chairperson
of
the
Covid
working
group,
NTAGI,
said.
Monkeypox
Affects
only
Gay
or
Bisexual
The
risk
of
monkeypox
is
not
limited
to
people
who
are
sexually
active
or
men
who
have
sex
with
men.
Anyone
who
has
close
physical
contact
with
someone
who
is
infectious
is
at
risk.
The
reason
we
are
currently
hearing
more
reports
of
cases
of
monkeypox
in
communities
of
men
who
have
sex
with
men
may
be
because
of
positive
health
seeking
behaviour
in
this
demographic,
WHO
said.
Experts
have
stated
that
anybody
can
develop
the
infection.