Image Source: Dado Ruvic/REUTERS
The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have widened calls to take precautionary measures following the recent spread of Monkeypox across countries affecting over 1,000 people.
The CDC has advised travelers to wear facemasks when arriving in airports, ports or other transportation hubs and to follow the protocols to prevent the virus from spreading.
The CDC raised the alert level to 2, so citizens will be compelled to “practice enhanced precautions” against Monkeypox.
So far, Monkeypox has spread to a total of 29 countries where it’s not endemic. If the alert level is raised to 3, then nonessential travel will be prohibited.
CDC officials said that the risk of the virus is relatively low; however, they still warned people not to interact closely with people who are sick or those who have lesions on their skin.
When an individual experiences flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that the health provider be contacted right away.
Monkeypox is an infectious disease that was discovered in Central and West Africa. However, it has recently begun spreading to other parts of the world. So far this year, there have been reports from North America and Australia as well as Europe which sent health organizations into a frenzy.
Infected individuals may experience fever, headaches, rashes, muscle aches, back pain, and swelling.
Countries have tallied the total number of suspected and confirmed cases to 1,019.
Of the 29 countries that confirmed the cases, the U.K. recorded the highest with 302, while Spain followed with 198. Meanwhile, Portugal confirms 153 and Canada with 80.
“Diseases that were locally spread are now able to make their way across countries and continents much more easily,” said Eyal Leshem, a professor and infectious disease specialist at Sheba Medical Center in Israel.
“Meanwhile, interaction between humans and animals has also amplified. Climate change has forced some animals into closer contact with humans, you will see more of these types of diseases.”
The U.S government is preparing 36,000 doses of vaccines against Monkeypox and plans to ship them out soon.
Source: CNBC
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