A rare case of monkeypox has been reported in a Dallas resident, who has been hospitalised in stable condition under isolation, after returning from Nigeria. This is the first-ever Texas case of monkeypox, according to the health officials said. In a statement, federal and state health officials said the traveler arrived at Dallas Love Field on July 9 from Atlanta after an overnight flight from Nigeria.
US health body Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said the risk to others on the flights and in the airport is low, especially in view of COVID-19-related masking policies. However, efforts are underway to contact his fellow passengers.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare viral pox-like disease from the smallpox family, but it is milder. It can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, contact with body fluids or contact with an infected animal or animal products. The disease is called Monkeypox because it was first identified in laboratory monkeys. Monkeypox occurs mostly in central and western Africa.
The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The United States saw a large outbreak among humans in 2003 after the virus spread from imported African rodents to pet prairie dogs. However, this is believed to be the first monkeypox virus infection in a Texas resident, according to Dallas County health officials.
Symptoms and Treatment of Monkeypox:
Monkeypox symptoms typically begin with flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, then a widespread rash on the face and body, according to the CDC. Most infections last 2-4 weeks.
There is no specific treatment known for monkeypox infection. However, one vaccine has been licensed in the US against monkeypox and smallpox.
How Does Monkeypox Spread?
Commonly found in animals such as rats, mice and rabbits, monkeypox can infect people when they are bitten or scratched by an animal, prepare wild game or come into contact with an infected animal or, possibly, animal products, according to the CDC.
The virus can be passed from person to person through bodily fluids, wounds, or anything infected with bodily fluids, although it is most commonly transferred through large respiratory droplets that travel only a few feet. As a result, the CCD claims that continuous face-to-face contact is required for the virus to propagate.
Monkeypox was not as transmissible as coronavirus or influenza, the New York Times quoted Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Is Monkeypox Fatal?
Infections with this strain of monkeypox are fatal in about 1 in 100 people, but the mortality rate can be higher among those with weakened immune systems.
(With inputs from AP)
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