Global Emergency Declared Over New Monkeypox Strain Outbreak: Florida Updates

Monkeypox Strain Outbreak :

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reinstated its highest level of alert for mpox, declaring a global health emergency for the second time in two years. Driven by a surge in cases across Africa, particularly a more contagious variant, the decision underscores growing concerns over the virus’s potential to spread globally. The outbreak in Africa has surpassed last year’s figures, prompting urgent calls for a coordinated international response to contain the disease.

The declaration follows closely on the heels of a health advisory issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week. While the CDC assessed the risk of severe mpox within the country as low, it urged healthcare providers to maintain a heightened awareness of the disease among patients with recent travel history to regions experiencing outbreaks.

Sweden has reported its first case of the more virulent clade I mpox strain outside of Africa. The confirmation, announced on Thursday, marks a significant development as the World Health Organization recently declared mpox a global health emergency. Health officials are closely monitoring the situation and urging increased vigilance to prevent further spread.

Types of monkeypox :

1. Clade I mpox, endemic to Central Africa, is a more virulent strain of the virus associated with severe illness and increased mortality rates compared to other variants. Recent findings from a Congolese mining town have identified a new form of Clade I mpox with an alarming fatality rate of up to 10%. This strain is also suspected to be more transmissible, raising concerns about its potential spread beyond the region.
2. Clade II of the monkeypox virus, responsible for the widespread 2022 outbreak affecting over 32,000 individuals in the United States, is generally associated with less severe infections compared to its Clade I counterpart.

how does monkeypox spread :

Monkeypox primarily spreads through:

• Direct contact: Skin-to-skin contact with the rash, scabs, or bodily fluids of an infected person.  
• Respiratory droplets: Extended close contact (more than four hours) with an infected person’s respiratory droplets.
• Contact with contaminated objects: Touching items or fabrics that have been used by an infected person, such as bedding, towels, or clothing.

2nd monkeypox can spread from infected animals to humans through:

• Bites or scratches from infected animals
• Handling infected animals
• Contact with contaminated animal products

Is monkeypox deadly :

Monkeypox can be deadly, but it’s not usually fatal. Most people recover fully within a few weeks with supportive care.

Despite ongoing surveillance efforts by federal and state health departments, including in Florida, no cases of the highly contagious clade I strain of mpox—currently responsible for a surge of infections in Africa—have been detected in the United States thus far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. has recorded over 1,000 mpox cases this year, with Florida accounting for more than 100 of these. Preliminary data indicates that over half of Florida’s cases are concentrated in South Florida.

Kari Debbink, an associate teaching professor at Johns Hopkins, advises against panic, stating there have been no Clade I monkeypox cases reported in the United States thus far. While acknowledging the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency, she emphasizes that the current risk remains low and there’s still an opportunity to contain the virus before widespread global transmission.

She said people who are considered most at risk for severe infection, such as those with conditions that make them immunocompromised, should speak with their doctor about possible precautions, including vaccination.

What are the symptoms of Monkeypox Strain :

Symptoms include fever, painful pimple-like rashes and swollen lymph nodes. People diagnosed with mpox should isolate at home until all symptoms are gone. This includes waiting for the rashes turned scabs to fall and for new skin to form. The CDC says all of this can take between two to four weeks.