Monkeypox Update: Monkeypox virus spread in Portugal as well, 39 cases confirmed so far

The outbreak of the coronavirus is not over yet and in the meantime, cases of monkeypox virus have started getting in many countries including India. According to WHO, after Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US, now cases of monkeypox have started appearing in India too. Now cases of monkeypox have also been found in Portugal, but experts say that the case of Portugal is not very serious. The Monkeypox virus spreading in Portugal is less aggressive than the virus spreading in West Africa, National Institutes of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge said on Tuesday.

Gomes told the Lusa news agency that the research team, led by Joo Paulo Gomes, head of the Bioinformatics Unit of the institute's infectious diseases department, has completed genome-sequencing of the country-wide monkeypox virus.

The Portuguese monkeypox virus is not very dangerous

The Portuguese monkeypox virus is more closely related to the monkeypox virus detected in Britain, Israel, and Singapore in 2018 and 2019, according to the expert, who noted that there is a more aggressive lineage of monkeypox in Central Africa. Theoretically, it develops more than we expected, he said. Eventually, we will be able to see that genomic traits may be related to greater transmittance.

Even though there is "no cause for concern," the microbiologist called on nations to "act, block the chain of transmission, and conduct intensive surveillance and dismiss suspected cases quickly."

Monkeypox is a rare disease that can be spread by direct contact with body fluids or by contact with contaminated clothing or bedsheets.

Portugal has so far confirmed 39 cases, all of them aged between 27 and 61, most of them under the age of 40. As of Tuesday, there were 131 monkeypox cases and 106 suspected cases in 19 countries outside Africa since the first case was reported on May 7, according to the World Health Organization.

What are its symptoms?

Early symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, swelling, and back pain. Patients usually develop a rash one to three days after the onset of fever, often beginning on the face and spreading to other parts of the body, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and the rash may also be itchy Is. The infection usually lasts for two to four weeks.

How is monkeypox spread?

Monkeypox is spread when a person comes into contact with another person, animal, or virus-infected with the virus. The virus can enter the body through the skin, respiratory tract, or through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Human-to-human transmission is usually via respiratory droplets. It can be spread from animal to human through bites or scratches.

what is the treatment?

There is currently no proven and safe cure for monkeypox, although most cases are mild. Those who are suspected to be infected with the virus can be isolated in the room. The space is used to isolate patients and is monitored by health care professionals using personal protective equipment. However, smallpox vaccines have proven to be largely effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

Also Read: Monkeypox reached 15 countries in 15 days: Quarantine necessary if symptoms are found in Belgium; Isolation ward for suspected patients in Mumbai