The first case of a monkeypox infection in france:
The first case of a monkeypox infection in France has been confirmed, a health authorities announcement on Friday May 20. In fact, the patient is a 29-year-old man with no history of travel to a country where the virus is circulating, said the Directorate General of Health and Public Health France. As soon as his infection was under suspicion, looking after the patient was mandatory. Furthermore, since the case isn't serious, he's now in isolation at his home.
An in-depth epidemiological investigation is put through by teams from Public Health France and the Île-de-France Regional Health Agency. Also, this is taking place in conjunction with the doctor who's in charge of this patient. They are currently counting all the people with a history of close contact with this person. Above all, they will receive information from the health authorities on what to do in order to limit the spread of the virus.
Without doubt, having a smallpox vaccine prevents a monkeypox infection with 85% efficacy. Moreover, there exist specific vaccinations for the eradication of monkeypox; however, such vaccines aren't available in huge amounts.
What is monkeypox disease?
Monkeypox is a rare disease that goes back to 1970 in Africa. You can transmit the virus by direct contact with broken skin or mucous membranes of a sick person, as well as by droplets. You can also obtain the infection through contact with the patient's environment (bedding, clothes, dishes, bath linen). As a matter of fact, the virus is if two strains:
- The Central African
- The West African clade
Updates on monkeypox infection in Europe:
In the United Kingdom, eleven cases are certain so far. The first patient had recently traveled to Nigeria, West Africa, where this viral disease is endemic. The origin of other monkeypox patients is within the country. Currently, the government is vaccinating all healthcare staffs to contain the virus as much as possible.
“To date, at least eight (European) countries – Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Sweden – have reported cases of monkeypox. ", summarized Friday, 20 May, in a press release Hans Kluge, head of the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Similar and recent cases have also been reported in Australia, Canada and the United States," he said. A total of 80 cases are valid and around 50 more are under investigation, according to the WHO. The first case in Australia, Sydney is a man in his 40s who returned recently from Europe, and the second case is a Victorian man in his 30s who was in UK.
Is monkeypox disease serious? What are the symptoms?
Infection with the virus begins with a fever, which is often high and comes in association with headaches, body aches, swollen lympth nodes and fatigue. After about two days, a blistering rash appears, the formation of scabs and then scarring. Certainly, itching is common. The bubbles are more intense on the face, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The mucous membranes are also a target, in the mouth and the genital area. The incubation of the disease can range from 5 to 21 days. The fever phase lasts about one to three days. The disease, generally benign, most often heals spontaneously, after two to three weeks.
