A new disease is spreading rapidly globally, which is named ‘Monkeypox.’ According to a recent report, more than 90 patients with monkeypox have been found worldwide. These cases have been found in 12 countries, including the UK, European countries, North America and Australia. However, not a single case has been found in India yet. Meanwhile, Mumbai airport and BMC are on alert regarding the monkey virus.
While issuing the order, the BMC said that those who have traveled from African countries and other such identified countries where symptoms of monkeypox have been found need to be tested. The Mumbai airport has also been asked to check the passengers. Earlier, the central government asked the ‘National Center for Disease Control’ and ‘Indian Council of Medical Research’ to remain alert regarding monkeypox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned about monkeypox. WHO said, in countries where this infection has not spread, more cases of monkeypox may be reported. Monkeypox is spreading among people who have come in physical contact.
Monkeypox is an orthopox virus similar to smallpox but less severe than smallpox. Monkeypox virus belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the family Poxviridae. In 1958, two smallpox-like diseases were detected in monkeys, one of them being monkeypox.
According to Dr. Vikrant Shah, Consulting Physician and Infection Specialist at Jain Multispecialty Hospital, Chembur, monkeypox is a zoonosis disease that spreads mostly from animals to humans in Africa. Its spread from person to person is not so common because it spreads only through contact with the pus or saliva of an infected person.