Quixplained: How to keep safe from Monkeypox

As of July 26, 2022, monkeypox has spread to more than 70 countries and four cases have been reported in Kerala and Delhi in India. One of those cases, of a man in Delhi, showed no history of foreign travel, pointing to local transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the disease as a public health emergency of international concern. Deaths cause by the disease have been low as compared to Covid-19, but monkeypox can still cause significant harm to the body.

While the disease is not a novel one and vaccines are available, there is confusion at the moment about what its symptoms and prevention look like. Here is what you need to know to keep safe from its spread:

More than 16,000 people have been affected by the disease so far. Monkeypox basically spreads through close contact, unlike the much faster spread of Covid-19 through air droplets. Medical personnel like doctors and nursing staff have been wearing PPE kits while attending to monkeypox-affected patients. There is no specific cure to monkeypox, and at the moment only its symptoms can be treated. Masking can help prevent the spread as well to avoid contact with an infected person. Being a viral disease, the strategy of isolation of an infected person is important for halting its spread.