'Unprecedented Outbreak Pattern' of Monkeypox... Pandemic Nightmare Raises 'Voices of Concern'

DNA Virus with Relatively Low Mutation Potential... Treatment and Vaccine Available
Concerns Rise Over Unknown Transmission Routes and 'Unprecedented' Patterns

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] As cases of monkeypox virus infection are reported around the world, various opinions are being presented regarding the danger of the virus.

Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the globe has only recently passed its peak, concerns about the monkeypox virus are growing even more.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus primarily found in animals and humans living in the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa, infecting various species without discrimination.

When infected with the virus, rashes appear on the skin, followed by blisters and then scabs. Symptoms last for 2 to 4 weeks and most cases recover naturally. The fatality rate of the West African strain of monkeypox recently confirmed in Europe is about 1%.

Monkeypox is not a newly discovered virus like COVID-19. Vaccines and treatments have already been secured, and the symptoms that appear after infection are relatively mild, so some opinions suggest there is no need for major concern.

Additionally, this virus is a DNA virus, and compared to RNA viruses, which easily mutate during the replication of genetic information inside the body, its mutation rate is relatively slow.

However, those expressing concern point to an "unprecedented outbreak pattern" different from previous cases.

Monkeypox mainly occurred in Africa, but in recent weeks, cases have been confirmed in 10 European countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East.

So far, monkeypox is known to be primarily transmitted through close physical contact. Most infected individuals experienced rash symptoms in the genital and surrounding areas.

Moreover, some suggest that the main transmission route of monkeypox is sexual activity between men. Many of the infected individuals were identified as homosexual or young bisexual men.

However, the exact transmission route cannot be clearly defined. It could be a result of those diagnosed simply being more attentive to sexual health management.

Monkeypox does not spread easily between people, so doctors are puzzled by the simultaneous outbreaks occurring in various locations.

However, Israeli authorities, where monkeypox infections have been confirmed, stated, "Monkeypox is completely different from COVID-19 and can be prevented with the smallpox vaccine," emphasizing that the likelihood of it spreading into a pandemic like COVID-19 is low.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that as the scope of contact tracing for monkeypox cases expands, more infections are expected to be identified in the future.

Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said, "There is concern that the transmission speed of this disease could increase as we enter the summer season, when large gatherings, festivals, and parties are common."

According to the UK’s Guardian, Professor Charlotte Hammer, an emerging infectious disease expert at the University of Cambridge, stated, "Health authorities are now aggressively searching for infection cases," and predicted, "More cases of monkeypox with mild symptoms, which may have been previously overlooked or misdiagnosed, will be identified."