‘No need to panic’ about monkeypox virus: expert

KARACHI:
As rumours spread about the monkeypox virus, a leading medical professional from the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) has urged the public to ‘not panic’ as the virus does not spread ‘easily’ when compared to the highly contagious Covid-19.

“Monkeypox does not spread as easily as Covid as yet,” said Section Head of Infectious Diseases at AKUH Dr Faisal Mahmood in conversation and strongly recommended patients seek help from doctors if any symptoms show.

Shedding light on the symptoms of the new disease, Dr Faisal clarified that fever, aches and bumpy rashes are what people needed to be wary of.

“These are the main symptoms. Fever followed by a bumpy rash,” he emphasised.

He maintained that monkeypox is not as dangerous as Covid in terms of fatalities. “The current strain has a mortality of 1%,” he said, adding that the virus was first found in a patient with exposure to a monkey.

The infectious disease expert elaborated that the main host of the poxvirus are rodents, mostly mice and rats.

“The virus is spread through close contact with lesions. Also, it can spread through the air, but the person needs to be closer and also for longer. Prevention is therefore aimed at preventing these exposures,” the doctor added.

He highlighted that precautions included staying in a separate room, handling laundry with care and that no specific medications were recommended for the disease.

Dr Faisal confirmed that the period of recovery from monkeypox lasts from at least two to four weeks and people testing positive need to be quarantined “till the bumpy rash crusts and the crust falls off”.

Responding to a question about the virus vaccine, he stated that the smallpox vaccine does work against the disease and was also approved in the US for use against monkeypox. He however added that as of now, now diagnostic tests have been developed to detect the virus before the onset of symptoms.

Dr Faisal further said that contracting the virus once is “not known but is likely to give lifelong immunity” and added that the current outbreak seems to have spread through sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

“Due to close contact during sex, the virus can be transmitted.”

The doctor was quick to dismiss the possibility of nationwide lockdowns due to the spread of monkeypox. “Not at all. This is not as contagious and will likely not spread.”

Restraining from commenting on the incumbent Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel’s lack of experience in the portfolio, the doctor believed that the incumbent coalition government could contain the spread of monkeypox through preventative measures.

“Public and private sector doctors, especially in the ER and clinics should be aware of this illness and the symptoms and report immediately in order to confirm, isolate and contact trace.”

Dr Faisal concluded that as of today, there was no confirmation of any monkeypox case being reported in Pakistan.