Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
It would appear as though the spread of a new strain of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, has been declared a global health emergency by the WHO, and the first case outside Africa has been logged in Sweden (the person had travelled to Africa): https://www.theguardian.com/world/a...k-africa-public-health-emergency-declares-who
There has been a large-scale outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 13,700 cases and at least 450 deaths, after a new, more severe strain, known as clade 1b, emerged last year. There have been cases in countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, and the new strain has shown some different behaviours to previous strains.
The risk to the UK public is currently considered low, but plans are being put in place that include rapid testing and protocols for infected individuals.
There was previously an outbreak of mpox in 2022, with cases logged in the UK, but this was of the more mild clade 2 strain.
The disease is passed on through close physical contact. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, and although usually mild, it can kill. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk from it. In the previous mpox outbreak, most people who contracted the disease were men who have sex with men. There is a vaccine available, but it is unknown whether it protects against the new clade 1b strain.
What do we think of this? With COVID still fresh in our minds, I’m sure we’re all hyper aware of any worldwide diseases now.
Personally, I think the chances of it becoming a severe pandemic of any kind are pretty slim, as it seems far easier to manage the spread of than COVID, but it is nonetheless a situation that needs careful monitoring.
There has been a large-scale outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 13,700 cases and at least 450 deaths, after a new, more severe strain, known as clade 1b, emerged last year. There have been cases in countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, and the new strain has shown some different behaviours to previous strains.
The risk to the UK public is currently considered low, but plans are being put in place that include rapid testing and protocols for infected individuals.
There was previously an outbreak of mpox in 2022, with cases logged in the UK, but this was of the more mild clade 2 strain.
The disease is passed on through close physical contact. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, and although usually mild, it can kill. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk from it. In the previous mpox outbreak, most people who contracted the disease were men who have sex with men. There is a vaccine available, but it is unknown whether it protects against the new clade 1b strain.
What do we think of this? With COVID still fresh in our minds, I’m sure we’re all hyper aware of any worldwide diseases now.
Personally, I think the chances of it becoming a severe pandemic of any kind are pretty slim, as it seems far easier to manage the spread of than COVID, but it is nonetheless a situation that needs careful monitoring.
