On Friday (16) US health officials confirmed the diagnosis of “monkeypox” in a passenger from Nigeria, Africa. The case is It was first diagnosed nearly 20 years ago In the country, the disease, both rare and dangerous, can be fatal. Information from the portal st 1.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – a public health research agency affiliated with the National Health Department – and the Texas Department of Health, the patient, an unidentified US resident, is hospitalized in Dallas, Texas, after Isolated and in stable health.
Patient Take two trips: From Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta, Georgia, departing on July 8th and arriving the next day, and from Atlanta to Dallas on July 9th.
However, the CDC believes that the risk of monkeypox infection through respiratory droplets on both planes and airports is low, given that travelers are required to wear masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The agency said in a statement that it was “working with the airline and with state and local health authorities to contact passengers and others who may have been in contact with the patient.”
In addition, the CDC has reported assessing the potential risks for people who have been in close contact with the traveler on the plane and elsewhere. These people are interviewed by health authorities.
“We have confidence in the federal, state and local medical professionals working to ensure this virus is contained,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote on Twitter.
Dallas County Health Director Philip Huang said in a statement that there was no reason to be concerned about the disease — he said: “There is. very small risk to the general public.”
What is monkeypox
According to the CDC, monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, but it causes an infection. milder infection.
The disease was discovered in 1958, when colonies of monkeys used in the research went through two outbreaks of infection. As a result, the disease received this name. The first case was recognized in humans years later, in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the agency, experts have not yet determined where “monkeypox is hiding in nature.” Small mammalian rodents in Africa are believed to play a role in spreading the virus to humans and other forest animals such as monkeys.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that at that time, there was a major effort to eradicate smallpox, and its last natural case was in 1977, before it was It is officially considered eradicated From the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980.
Since the first patient was identified in 1970, there have been records of the disease in humans in nine other countries in Central and West Africa. In Nigeria, where the patient came from, there are more than 400 confirmed cases since 2017.
Monkey smallpox in the United States
The outbreak reached 47 in the United States in 2003, but there were no deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this was the first time that monkeypox had been confirmed in humans outside of the African continent.
At the time, the virus was brought by rodents imported from Africa, which transmitted the disease to prairie dogs – a type of rodent native to North America – which are used as pets.
According to the US agency, there were only others Five countries have records of human cases Outside Africa: three people in the UK and one in Israel in 2018, one person in Singapore in 2019.
This year, in addition to the case identified in Texas, there were records of three accidents in the UK. The CDC indicated that the cases have nothing to do with what was diagnosed in the American continent.
Symptoms of monkey disease, smallpox and infection
The first symptoms of the disease may be flu-like, accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes. After the appearance of the first signs, affected people develop a rash on the face and body. Infection, in most cases, It lasts between two and four weeks.
The CDC reported that in the particular case of Texas, lab tests showed the patient had a strain more common in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria. “Infection with this strain of monkeypox is fatal to about one in 100 people. But rates may be higher in people with weakened immune systems,” she added.
Anyone can get monkeypox infection Bitten or scratched by animals Contaminated, by eating meat from wild animals or by contact with an infected animal or animal products.
Experts believe that the main method of transmission between humans is through Respiratory drops. Since these droplets do not orbit more than a few metres, scientists estimate that infection in these cases occurs when there is close and long-term contact with people infected with the virus.
Smallpox can also be transmitted in monkeys through contact with contaminated body fluids, wounds, and objects.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease has no proven and safe treatment. However, the smallpox vaccine has already been administered to control previous outbreaks, such as the one in the United States in 2003.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.