WHO says no evidence monkeypox virus has mutated
PremiumWHO does not believe the monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, a senior executive at the UN agency said. The expert further said that it is unclear what is driving the outbreak, and scientists are trying to understand the origin of the cases and whether anything about the virus has changed.
Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, told a briefing that mutations tended to be typically lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak.
WHO does not believe the monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations.
US health officials sought to reassure the public that the risk of monkeypox is low and the country is prepared to handle its spread, though they acknowledged more cases are likely.
While monkeypox doesn’t appear to be a major threat to the general public, health authorities say there’s a stockpile of vaccines and antivirals which are ready to use if needed. Treatment guides for those who would benefit most are also being developed.
New and suspected cases of the illness have been cropping up in Europe and North America in recent days.
How can people catch monkeypox?
Health experts say person-to-person transmission isn't common, as it requires close contact with bodily fluids, such as saliva from coughing or pus from the lesions.
What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, or rash and flu. According to doctors it is cured in around three weeks. Apart from flu-like symptoms, monkey pox causes enlargement of lymph nodes or glands, which are there in the body. Most patients only experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue.
-With agency inputs