Mpox is on the rise around the world. The artist formerly known as Monkeypox, Mpox has been officially declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). Men who have sex with men and those who are immune compromised are once again at the top of the list of people who should be cautious. According to the CDC, if you already have two Mpox vaccine shots, you don’t need a booster shot yet despite this wave of infections.
This is the second time in as many years that Mpox has become a global health emergency. In July 2022, cases throughout Europe and North and South America became so bad that it was first declared a GHE (is that a thing?). This second wave of Mpox is devastating parts of Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo. This highly infectious new strain of Mpox has not yet reached the United States, though it is already spreading globally.
Experts at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy estimate that about 10 million vaccine doses are needed to curb the outbreak in Africa. The United States pledged to donate 50,000 vaccine doses to Congo. That feels a bit of a drop in the bucket considering the millions of doses needed.
What to Know about Mpox
Mpox is a part of the same virus family that causes smallpox, but it is not related to chickenpox.
Back during the 2022 outbreak, most cases in the United States came out of the major cities, specifically New York, LA, and San Francisco. Though it seems scary, in reality, the CDC reports that more than 32,000 people have been infected and only 58 have died.
Symptoms could be similar to the flu. In addition to chills, fever, and body aches, people with Mpox will also experience a rash. Within one to three days of infection, a person develops a rash that can spread to hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, and genitals, according to the CDC.
Good health to all people.
I say the same.