As soon as we forgot about the coronavirus and took off the medical masks, a new monkeypox virus began to spread in the world, which had never before gone beyond the endemic countries (i.e., those in which they live).
To date, there are more than 100 confirmed cases in 12 countries that are not endemic for monkeypox. The largest number of cases in the UK, Portugal and Spain. Cases have also been reported in Belgium, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and Australia.
Monkeypox virus belongs to the same family as the variola viruses. The disease caused by this virus is called monkeypox and is one of the most dangerous infections.
To date, about 100 cases of this disease have been registered in the world. As a rule, this infection is not transmitted from person to person. And if this happens, then the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) believes that this is possible mainly through large respiratory droplets.
Monkeypox virus exists in nature. In its transmission and in the first case of occurrence, African rodents, which were brought to North America, are most likely to blame.
The main mode of transmission is direct contact with bodily fluids, with secretions from skin lesions, and direct person-to-person contact between dirty laundry, shared items, and so on. The aerosol route from person to person is still under investigation. Even if this route exists, it is less effective and the disease is less contagious than other viral diseases, which are transmitted mainly by airborne cable.
