old idiom says, "it never rains, but it pours". This means that one difficult situation tends to follow another in rapid succession. Just as COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under control in many parts of world, another potential threat is rearing its ugly head. WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of rare monkeypox virus. It has been detected in UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said virus could spread further in coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter summer season, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate".
Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Most of cases reported thus far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of disease include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and nasty rash on the hands and face. It usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such as rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. virus is related to smallpox virus, for which there are vaccines. Scientists say smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around globe are on high alert and are tracking spread of cases.
