According to a report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning US residents of a possible increase in mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, this spring and summer. Note from Health Department.
Health officials said on Monday that the increase could come as people abandon their homes in favor of crowded festivals and events.
In fact, the CDC is investigating 12 confirmed mpox cases and 1 probable case in the Chicago area. Cases were reported to the Chicago Public Health Department between April 17 and May 5.
The Chicago case was reported by the CDC days after the World Health Organization announced it. mpox public health emergency it’s over.
detail:The number of students who refuse to go to school is increasing. It’s becoming a mental health crisis.
What is mpox, formerly known as monkeypox?
According to the CDC, MPOX is a rare, rarely fatal disease caused by infection with the MPOX virus.
The disease was known as monkeypox, but the World Health Organization changed its name to remove the stigma linking the disease to monkeys. (Monkeys don’t spread viruses, but the virus was first identified in monkeys decades ago, hence the name.)
The global mpox epidemic began in May 2022, with more than 30,000 cases reported in the United States as of May 10. In July 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a global mpox emergency.
MPOX cases are declining, but may not stay the same, says CDC
The number of mpox cases peaked in August and has since declined, but “the epidemic is not over,” the CDC said Monday.
Regarding the outbreak in Chicago, the CDC said it was all symptomatic men. None of the involved patients were hospitalized.
The CDC also said that of the 13 confirmed or probable infected people in the Chicago area, they were:
- Nine of the 13 were men who had received multiple doses of the vaccine.
- Nine were non-Hispanic white men, two were non-Hispanic black men, and two were Asian men.
- The median age was 34 years (between 24 and 46 years).
- The four recently traveled to New York City, New Orleans and Mexico.
Experts at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago urged people in the area to be vigilant.
“It is clear that despite full vaccination, some patients may not have long-lasting vaccine immunity,” said Dr. Alexandre Carvalho, an infectious disease researcher at Northwestern University, in a news release. mentioned in the release. “In the first summer after the pandemic, people will probably let their guard down and go out to see other people and have fun. We need to encourage practice.”
Health news:FDA approves new menopausal drug for hot flashes, sweats and chills
What are the symptoms of mpox?
Symptoms include a rash, which can occur on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, and near the genitals, according to the CDC website.of agency says The incubation period for mpox is 3 to 17 days, during which time you may be symptom-free and feel fine.
The rash looks like pimples or blisters and can be itchy and painful. The rash goes through several stages, including crusting, before the patient heals, according to the CDC.
Some people may have flu-like symptoms before the rash appears, but others may suffer other symptoms after the rash first appears, according to the CDC.
Other symptoms, according to the CDC, include:
- heat
- cold
- swollen lymph nodes
- exhaustion
- muscle pain and back pain
- headache
- Respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy nose and cough
The agency said patients may experience some symptoms, but not all.
How long do symptoms last and how is the disease transmitted?
Once people develop symptoms, they can spread mpox, according to the CDC. It may continue to spread until the rash is completely healed.
CDC also cited new data As of February 2023, it has been shown that some people can spread mpox 1-4 days before symptoms begin.
“There is currently no evidence that an asymptomatic person spread the virus to others,” the CDC said.
What should I do if I think I have mpox?
The CDC says anyone who thinks they have the disease or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive should contact their doctor. From there, the doctor will decide whether testing is necessary.
Until that happens, the CDC recommends avoiding intimate contact, including sex, until you see a doctor.
Public health clinics are an option for those without health insurance.
What the CDC says about the mpox vaccine
CDC does not recommend routine immunization against mpox for the general public and instead urges health care providers to offer routine immunizations to people at increased risk of exposure to the disease. Says.
Those at high risk include those who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive and those who have had sexual contact in the past two weeks with a person diagnosed with mpox.
The CDC also lists potentially high-risk mpox patients who include homosexuals, bisexuals, men who have had sex with men, transgender or nonbinary men who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease within the past six months. It also states that people are included.
The CDC said people who have sexual contact in commercial sex centers and sex workers are also at risk.
“The CDC is urging clinicians to be vigilant for new mpox cases and encourage at-risk people to be vaccinated to prevent new epidemics in the spring and summer,” the CDC said in a statement Monday. ‘ said.
“If mpox is suspected, test even if the patient has been previously vaccinated or has been infected with mpox. We need to reassess our options for
