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Close-up of monkeypox lesions on the arm and leg of a female child by CDC’s Public Health Image Library –

6 Interesting Facts about Monkeypox

We can鈥檛 catch a break! Just as the world is beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy while dealing with increasingly transmissible variants of COVID-19, another public health threat emerges.

Monkeypox also referred to as 鈥渕pox鈥� or 鈥楳PX鈥� has had several cases reported in the United States and other regions around the globe in 2022. Monkeypox is a zoonotic infection caused by the monkeypox virus.

If you鈥檙e not familiar with the term zoonotic don鈥檛 worry. It simply means that the infection/illness can spread from animals to humans and vice versa. It can also spread from human to human and from the environment to human.

As of May 2022, cases of monkeypox started appearing in locations the disease in has not been seen before such as the U.S. The first case of monkeypox in this recent outbreak was recorded in Boston, Massachusetts, on 19th May 2022.

After an increasing and irregular number of cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared monkeypox a public health emergency in the United States on 4th August 2022.

The disease might not be as contagious as Covid-19 but it is worth our attention. To this extent, we have prepared some facts on monkeypox to help you better understand it.

6. Monkeypox Was First Identified in Humans In 1970

The disease was first identified in 1958 in a group of lab monkeys in Copenhagen. These monkeys are not the cause despite the name of the disease. The monkeys in question were just coincidental hosts since monkeypox traditionally lived in rodents such as squirrels and rats.

The first case of monkeypox was identified in 1970. The patient in this case was a 9-year-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It manifested as smallpox at first but smallpox had been eliminated in this region by 1968.

5. While There鈥檚 an Outbreak in The USA The Disease Is Spreading Globally

Hospital nurse with the patient by ORION HOSPITAL from

In 2022, monkeypox has spread to every state in the United States, and in this current outbreak, the U.S. has the highest number of cases of the disease in the world. There are almost 30,000 reported cases of MPX in the USA as of November 2022. The majority of cases of monkeypox in the US are found in California.

However, this does not mean the disease is limited to the U.S.A alone. As of 22nd November 22, there were over 20,000 reported cases of MPX from 29 EU/EEA countries while Western Balkan and T眉rkiye countries had reported 62 cases.

4. There Is a Vaccine

Vaccine by Angelo Esslinger from

Thankfully, unlike Covid-19, monkeypox did not catch the world off-guard. A primary vaccine, the Jynneos vaccine, exists and had been approved since 2019.

It is the most effective strategy to prevent infection for people who are most at risk, with an efficiency rate of 85%. Limiting sexual partners, practicing excellent hand hygiene, avoiding close contact with persons who have symptoms, avoiding touch with infected objects and linens, and wearing protective gear such as gloves and masks when engaging with sick individuals are other measures to reduce risk.

The CDC recommends vaccination for those who have already been exposed to monkeypox and those who are most at risk.

3. The Most Common Symptom Is a Panful/Itchy Rash

Monkeypox patients experience a rash that may appear on or close to the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole), as well as on the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth, according to the CDC.

Before healing, the rash will go through a number of stages, including scabs, and may at first like pimples or blisters. It may also be painful or itchy.

In addition, monkeypox can cause fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle and backaches, headaches, and respiratory problems (e.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough). You can encounter all of the symptoms or just a few.

Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash, some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms, and others only experience a rash.

People usually develop symptoms 5 to 21 days after being exposed to the monkeypox virus. Symptoms typically last from 2 to 4 weeks and may pass through several stages.

2. Most Affected Demographics Are Men Who Have Sex with Men and Black and Hispanic Communities

Given the historical stigma toward the LGBTQ+ community, careful messaging on monkeypox is important. Therefore, to be clear, monkeypox or MPX can be acquired and spread by anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Also, MPX is not a sexually transmitted disease.

The current outbreak appears to be predominantly affecting men who have sex with other men (MSM). This tendency has led to comparisons of MPX and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which at its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s disproportionately afflicted the LGBTQ population. Researchers are unsure of the exact cause of the disease’s current pattern of spread.

1. Spreads mostly Trough Skin Contact

Skin contact by SuicideOmen from

Through close touch with someone exhibiting symptoms, you can contract monkeypox. Close contact includes skin-to-skin interactions (such as touching, anal or vaginal sex), face-to-face interactions (such as talking, singing, or breathing), mouth-to-skin interactions (such as oral sex), and mouth-to-mouth interactions (e.g., kissing). Monkeypox can also spread through contaminated surfaces, objects, towels, and bedding.