Monkeypox spreads in West, baffling African scientists


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Monkeypox spreads in West, baffling African scientists​



LONDON (AP) — As more cases of monkeypox are detected in Europe and North America, some scientists who have monitored numerous outbreaks in Africa say they are baffled by the unusual disease's spread in the West.

Cases of the smallpox-related disease haven’t previously been seen among people with no links to central and West Africa. But in the past week, Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, U.S., Sweden and Canada all reported infections, mostly in young men who hadn’t previously traveled to Africa.

France, Germany, Belgium and Australia confirmed their first cases of monkeypox on Friday.
“I’m stunned by this. Every day I wake up and there are more countries infected,” said Oyewale Tomori, a virologist who formerly headed the Nigerian Academy of Science and who sits on several World Health Organization advisory boards.

“This is not the kind of spread we’ve seen in West Africa, so there may be something new happening in the West,” he said.
One of the theories British health officials are exploring is whether the disease is being sexually transmitted. Health officials have asked doctors and nurses to be on alert for potential cases, but said the risk to the general population is low.

Outbreaks in Nigeria, which reports about 3,000 monkeypox cases a year, are usually in rural areas, where people have close contact with infected rats and squirrels, according to Tomori. He said the disease is not spread very easily and that many cases are likely missed.
 

Biden on monkeypox: 'Everybody' should be concerned, spread would be 'consequential'​


“They haven’t told me the level of exposure yet, but it is something that everybody should be concerned about,” Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One to fly from South Korea to Japan. “We’re working on it hard to figure out what we do and what vaccine, if any, might be available for it.”

Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, later told reporters the U.S. has vaccines "available to be deployed."

Sullivan said Biden is getting regular updates from his health team about the evolving situation.

Nearly a dozen countries are investigating "atypical" outbreaks of monkeypox, a disease that comes from the same family of viruses as smallpox and is typically found in central and west Africa.
 
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Monkeypox in Florida: 226 probable or confirmed cases reported with bulk in Broward, Miami-Dade​



There have been 226 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in Florida as of July 20. Last week, Lee County had its first probable case of monkeypox while cases continue to emerge here, according to state data.

Broward County had the bulk at 117, according to the Florida Department of Health. Miami-Dade County has 60 cases, and Palm Beach stands at 7, reports show.

Collier County reported its first case earlier this month and remains at one.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1,470 cases nationwide.

In case you're wondering: What's it like to have monkeypox? I spoke to someone who had it.
 

‘This thing is spreading. It’s here’: First Georgia woman with monkeypox speaks out about diagnosis​



Thursday, the Biden Administration declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more 6,000 cases nationwide.

In Georgia, there are 504 cases. Four of those cases are women.

Channel 2′s Audrey Washington spoke with the first woman in Georgia to contract the virus.

“I’m in the healing stages. As you can see my face is starting to scab up,” said Camille Seaton. “I saw bumps break out and I kid you not, in this same array and I just thought it was a breakout.”

Seaton said the breakout, along with headaches, chills and fatigue didn’t go away.
 

The Reality of MPV: Monkeypox Patients Speak of Loneliness and Pain​



A Texas man who recently contracted monkeypox, now commonly being called MPV, received a lot of mixed attention after sharing images of the progression of the infection, which has manifested itself in part on his face. By sharing his MPV experience in public, the gay Houstonian says he hopes to raise awareness about its prevalence while also removing the stigma and bringing attention to its isolation.

Following the 4th of July holiday, Wesley Wallace traveled to Austin for Hippie Hollow Otter Fest, a weekend event attended by queer men on Lake Travis, to have a leisurely time on the water.

“It’s a lake, boat, shoreline kind of thing,” says the 42-year-old tech professional.


When he returned from the weekend of drinking, socializing, and soaking up some rays, he noticed some irritation on his face, which he attributed to shaving and wearing sunscreen while baking in the sun. When another blister-like dot appeared on his chin on Tuesday, he assumed it was a pimple, but he could not pop it.

After the sores started to grow the next day, he thought, Monkeypox, monkeypox. Then, when he woke up Friday, he knew something was wrong because his body aches and swollen lymph nodes made him feel unwell.

“And so I thought, God, I already know,” he says, “I know what this is.” Wallace says he was aware that Quest Diagnostics had just come online to test for MPV, so he called his doctor and asked for a test.
 
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