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The Global Story
Mpox: How dangerous is it?
Aug 19, 2024
Dorcas Wangira, Africa Health correspondent, and Dominic Hughes, BBC’s Global Health correspondent, delve into the alarming rise of mpox cases across Africa and beyond. They discuss the recent surge with over 17,000 cases and the risks posed by a new strain. The conversation highlights the significant challenges in vaccine access, particularly in fragile healthcare systems and the stigma surrounding the disease. They also address treatment difficulties and the emotional impact on those infected, emphasizing the urgent need for global awareness and response.
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Quick takeaways
- Mpox has been declared a global health emergency due to its rapid spread in Africa and beyond, raising concerns among scientists.
- Stigma surrounding mpox and misconceptions about its transmission routes hinder effective treatment and reporting, complicating public health responses.
Deep dives
Understanding MPOCs and Its Transmission
MPOCs, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease that initially spreads from animals to humans, primarily characterized by symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. This disease's recent outbreaks have raised concerns among scientists due to its rapid transmission and occurrence outside Africa, prompting a classification as a global health emergency. The current strain has been observed to spread through close contact, including sexual contact and sharing contaminated items, with cases increasing significantly across multiple African countries that had not reported the disease before. As of this year, 12 of the 16 African countries that have reported MPOCs cases include those like Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, where the disease has emerged for the first time.
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Discover
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