Check Out Monkeypox Affected Countries List 2022

Published: Saturday, May 21, 2022, 16:04 [IST]

Washington, May 21: Monkey pox is a rare viral infection, but 11 countries report confirmed cases of this infection.The disease is now raising alarm in Europe, Australia and US.

Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus.

Check Out Monkeypox Affected Countries List 2022 — Representational Image

Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name 'monkeypox.'

The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox. Since then, monkeypox has been reported in people in several other central and western African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone. The majority of infections are in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Here's a list of countries where the monkeypox outbreaks were detected recently