The World Health Organization said Monday that an outbreak of the monkeypox virus in North America and Europe is mostly spread through sex among men with about 200 confirmed and suspected cases.
The outbreak has quickly spread across Europe and North America and is expected to be much more widespread as more doctors look for the signs and symptoms. The first cases of monkeypox outside of Africa this year were reported to the WHO just 10 days ago, and they are the two confirmed and one suspected cases in the U.K.
We have seen a few cases in Europe over the last five years, but this is the first time we have seen cases across many countries at the same time.
The largest outbreak of monkeypox ever on Europe has been confirmed by European nations, according to the German military. At least two cases have been confirmed by the U.S. and Canada. There is a mandatory 21-day quark for monkeypox patients in Belgium.
The WHO convened an emergency meeting this weekend to look at the virus, identify those most at risk and study its transmission. Next week, the organization will hold a second global meeting on monkeypox to study the risks and treatments available to fight the virus.
The most recent surge of cases appears to have been spread among men who have sex with other men, WHO officials said, emphasizing that anyone can contract monkeypox.
Sexual contact can spread diseases. Andy Seale, who advises the World Health Organization on sexually transmitted infections, said that it doesn't mean that a cough or a cold is a sexually transmitted disease.
The virus can be spread by close contact with people, animals, or material that has the virus. The broken skin, respiratory tract, eyes, nose and mouth are where it enters the body. Respiratory droplets cannot travel more than a few feet, so face-to-face contact is required for human-to-human transmission.
It can live on objects like blankets and things that are outside the human host, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
He said to expect more confirmed cases in the US in the coming weeks as doctors and public health officials reexamine patients who have presented with symptoms.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, but is not as severe. According to the CDC, monkeypox can kill as many as 1 in 10 people who contract it.
According to WHO officials, the vaccine used to prevent smallpox appears to be 85% effective in protecting against monkeypox. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's leading epidemiologist on zoonotic diseases, said that the vaccines aren't widely available so it's important to reserve them for populations that are most at risk. She said WHO will be working with vaccine makers to see if they can increase production.
The symptoms of monkeypox include a high temperature, headaches, back pain, and low energy. That leads to a rash on the face, hands, feet, eyes, mouth, and genitals that turns into raised bumps, or Papules, that can look like chicken pox. Those can fill with a white fluid and break.
Gottlieb said that the disease can last two to four months and has a 21-day incubation period.
I don't think this will be the same as the Covid-19 epidemic.
CNBC's Spencer Kimball and Karen Gilchrist contributed to the article.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb is a member of the boards of Pfizer, Tempus, Aetion, and Illumina. He is a co-chair of the healthy sail panel.
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