Analysis: Get up to speed on the monkeypox outbreak

but While Covid-19 has killed millions of people around the world, monkeypox generally Clears up after a few weeks. These are very different diseases.

Add to this the fact that monkeypox is mainly spread by through skin-to-skin contact and has affected many gay men and other Men who have sex with men express concern about the stigma influencing the response.

It is certainly true that a lack of testing access and a slow supply of vaccines has raised questions about what government and public health officials have learned from COVID-19 on how to prepare for the next public health emergency.

Note: CNN most comprehensive report Thursday comes from Virginia Langmead and Deidre McPhillips, and I’ve taken a lot from there.

What is the scale of this outbreak?

Monkeypox traditionally appears in 11 countries in tropical Africa. The new, shocking development is that it has spread around the world this year in an unprecedented way.

According to the CDC, there have been previous documented cases in the US, including two in 2021, but nothing on the scale of this current outbreak, which exceeds more than 1,000 documented US cases.

The most documented cases have occurred in Europe: in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The CDC’s map of documented cases in the US shows it has spread to a handful of states across the country.

The most affected states include California, New York and Illinois as well as Washington, DC.

What’s the worst case scenario?

Fears that monkeypox may spread widely The population in the US, and outbreaks around the world, could make the virus a permanent fixture.

Monkeypox can be dangerous and even fatal in some people, such as those with weakened immune systems.

What are the symptoms?

it may take up to Two weeks to become a symptom. They often begin with fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. Liquid-filled extremely painful red pox can then often form on the genitals, but can be on the whole body.

Read more about the symptoms at CNN Health.

And watch out for one man’s warning: You don’t want to get this disease.

the actual spread is probably more widespread

The exact extent of the outbreak in the US is unknown. Read this NPR account about how difficult it was for a man who suspected he had monkeypox to get tested in New York last month.

Why has it become so difficult to take the exam?

Even one who really wants to crack an exam often has to spend time and energy to get one.

Langmaid and McPhillips report how two different men went to the test over and over again. Here is an excerpt from his story:

Christian Redondo, a graduate student in Atlanta, noticed a sore and called his local health board, which said it was not doing tests and referred him to his primary care doctor.

His primary care doctor told him to go to the emergency room for testing, but Redondo was able to contact a friend from his county health department, who said yes, indeed, he would need to go there for testing.

“Then, I was in the waiting room, I don’t know, something like four or five hours. It was a very long time. And when I was asking them about it, they said they would have to wait for permission,” the CDC said. Asked me to get tested for monkeypox as well,” he said.

How will the exam problem be solved?

The CDC has said it will now work with five private companies to increase access to the test. This will help, according to primary care physician and CNN medical analyst Dr. Saju Mathew, who spoke on “New Day” over the weekend.

But the lack of testing is not just a matter of capacity, he said.

“I think it’s really a combination of not having access, the fact that a lot of physicians are uncomfortable with the diagnosis. And, mind you, the monkeypox rash … looks like a rash in someone who has shingles or chickenpox. So there are many different challenges to overcome.”

He also talked about the danger of stigma attached to the disease. It is mainly spreading In the gay community, but anyone can get it.

“We must be careful about not stigmatizing the disease and preventing people who are not really open about their sexuality,” Matthews said.

What about vaccine?

While the COVID-19 vaccine is completely preventive, the monkeypox vaccine can be used for people who are in high-risk groups and for those who think they may have been exposed. It is called Genios Vaccine and is manufactured by Bavarian Nordic in Denmark.

It is becoming difficult or impossible to find in many parts of the US. Dosage has been discontinued as soon as it is allocated to cities and states. According to the White House, new shipments from Denmark are expected soon.

Politicians and public health officials are trying to get creative to increase access to the vaccine, which is typically two doses spread over four weeks. New York Mayor Eric Adams suggested in a letter to the White House that a one-dose starter course should be allowed to vaccinate more people.

This is an idea also suggested by the Bavarian Nordic.

worldwide concern

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization in June declined to label monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. Now, as cases escalate, the agency will reevaluate that decision at a meeting next week.