2 days Ago By Bal Krishna Sah
Monkey Pox alias mpox was declared a new global health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on August 14, 2024, after assessing its increasing spread in Africa. However, Nepal has also seen an increase in mpox, particularly among returnees from abroad. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Population has been preparing to send infected individuals' specimens to the WHO collaborating centre in Thailand, according to media reports.
Mpox is a rare disease caused by the mpox virus. Last week, Nepal confirmed its second mpox infection. A 36-year-old man from Tanahun tested positive for the disease after returning from Saudi Arabia on December 19.
Similarly, another male returnee from Saudi Arabia, 44 years old, has tested positive for the infection, according to Dr Prakash Budhathoki, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population. The country confirmed its first case of mpox infection on June 16, 2023, when a 60-year-old foreign national tested positive. Spokesperson Budhathoki told THT that the infection is rampant in neighbouring countries, and Nepal is also vulnerable to it.
"Last year, a 60-year-old foreigner (female) was diagnosed with the Mpox virus in Nepal." Up to one in 10 persons can die from monkeypox, and the disease is believed to be especially severe in young people. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a "pox-like" disease in monkeys.
Until recently, most human cases were seen in people in central and west Africa who had close contact with infected animals. In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world that had not previously reported mpox.Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches.
People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals. "People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals," said Dr. Yadu Chandra Ghimire, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division at the Ministry of Health and Population.
"Mpox spreads through direct contact with the infected person or animal, skin-to-skin contact with Mpox rash or scabs from an infected, contact with fluid and saliva from the body of an infected, clothing, towels, beddings or objects used by the infected." Ghimire added that fever, skin rash and bumps in between one and three days of the infection, which appear in the face, palm and feet as well, headache, muscle ache, bone ache, chills, and swollen lymph nodes are the symptoms of Mpox. It may lead to the loss of eyesight, pneumonia, brain fever, miscarriage (among pregnant women), and even death.
According to Budhathoki, the only ways to cure it are vaccines and treatments, as well as convincing people to avoid risky behaviour. He went on to say that because more Nepalis are in Gulf countries, people should be cautious when returning from them and follow procedures such as quarantine and checkups.The quarantine period ranges between five days and three weeks.
The majority of people recover on their own within two to four weeks..
