While smallpox was eradicated in 1980, monkeypox continues to occur in countries of Central and West Africa.While cases are often found close to tropical rainforests, where there are animals that carry the virus.
Evidence of monkeypox virus infection has been found in animals including squirrels, Gambian poached rats, dormice and different species of monkeys.But the WHO says human-to-human transmission is limited. It says:"The longest documented chain of transmission being six generations, meaning that the last person to be infected in this chain was six links away from the original sick person."
It can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces - such as in the mouth or throat.But the WHO adds that it is important to distinguish monkeypox from other illnesses such as chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections and scabies.And the proportion of patients who die has varied between 0 and 11% in documented cases, and has been higher among young children.
Main image: An example of a monkeypox outbreak, which can results in blisters and lesions on the skin. Picture by: Brain light / Alamy Stock Photo
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