The world is on the brink of a new danger! Here is the only way to protect yourself from the monkeypox virus.

While trying to heal the wounds of the Covid-19 virus disaster, which first emerged in Wuhan, China four years ago and caused a global pandemic, the world is now facing a new outbreak threat...

GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global emergency due to the 'Monkeypox Virus' (M monkeypox virus/Mpox), which has affected Africa and caused the death of 524 people so far. The WHO Emergency Committee, which has been reporting cases of monkeypox virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo for more than 10 years, met for the first time and advised WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that it constitutes an internationally significant public health emergency.

NEW TRAUMA AFTER COVID

Following the WHO's announcement that alarmed the whole world, billions of people started to relive the traumas of the Covid-19 virus four years ago. Expert opinions on the monkeypox virus, which can be transmitted from both animals and humans, have also started to emerge. Experts warned that the world, which is on the verge of a new global outbreak, could face a more deadly virus than Covid-19.

SYMPTOMS INCLUDE ITCHING AND RASH

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ceyhan, President of the Infectious Diseases Association, stated that the monkeypox virus, which can last for more than 10 years and has symptoms such as itching and rash, is often confused with chickenpox and mosquito bites. He also revealed that the virus is more deadly and easily transmissible than Covid-19.

INDIVIDUALS BORN BEFORE 1980 AND THOSE VACCINATED AGAINST SMALLPOX ARE MORE RESISTANT TO MONKEYPOX VIRUS

Prof. Dr. Serap Şimşek Yavuz, President of the Turkish Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Association (KLİMİK), reported that the death rate of the monkeypox virus (Mpox) was below 1% in the first outbreak in 2022, but it has now risen to around 5%. Dr. Yavuz stated that the smallpox vaccine, which is not used in our country since the end of the 1980s when the smallpox disease ended, should be reintroduced to the country. Yavuz emphasized that individuals born before 1980 and those vaccinated against smallpox are more resistant to the virus, and although a pandemic situation is not present, he warned citizens to take necessary precautions.

HAS MONKEYPOX VIRUS BEEN OBSERVED IN TURKEY?

So, has the monkeypox virus, which spreads faster and is more deadly than Covid-19, been observed in Turkey? The monkeypox virus was first detected in Turkey in 2022 in one person. After the WHO's recent announcement, citizens anxiously turned their attention to the statement to be made by the Ministry of Health.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu shared the information that "We do not have any alarm situation at the moment," which caused citizens to breathe a sigh of relief. However, Prof. Dr. Önder Ergönül, an Infectious Diseases Specialist, stated that isolated cases have been detected in Turkey. Ergönül emphasized that the cases seen in Turkey in 2022 were more common in male homosexuals and their partners.

HOW IS MONKEYPOX VIRUS TRANSMITTED?

The highest risk of transmission of the monkeypox virus is through direct contact.

• Long-term close contact along with the spread of respiratory droplets (sneezing)
• Contact with bed sheets, cloth, blankets, or personal belongings
• Exposure to close breathing during face-to-face conversation
• Direct contact (touching, sexual intercourse, kissing)
• Animal saliva, scratching, biting, and consumption of meat from an infected animal

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MONKEYPOX VIRUS?

One of the most common questions about the monkeypox virus (Mpox) is what its common symptoms are. After the WHO declared a state of emergency, the most important issue for billions of people is the blisters that appear on the body as a result of the monkeypox virus.

• Fever
• Rash resembling pimples or blisters on the face, inside the mouth; hands, feet, chest, genital area, anus
• Fatigue, headache, and back pain
• Cough, nasal congestion (respiratory problems)
• Chills and shivering

THE SIMPLEST WAY TO PROTECT AGAINST THE DISEASE

The simplest way to protect against the monkeypox virus is to get vaccinated against smallpox. Avoid skin contact with unfamiliar people and touching their personal belongings. Do not approach animals that may carry the virus. If you suspect that you have come into contact with someone who is sick, disinfect your hands frequently with soap and water. Pay attention to personal hygiene.