Days after the WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency, one of its top officials on Monday said that it has assessed the risk of the virus globally and in the South-East Asia region as ‘moderate’.
“Monkeypox cases are being reported from multiple countries. The risk of monkeypox globally and in the WHO South-East Asia Region is assessed as moderate. WHO is regularly reviewing available data with its laboratory and other expert groups,” ANI quoted Dr Poonam K Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region, as saying.
On the primary source of the transmission of the virus, Dr Singh said it is majorly spreading through close physical and sexual contact. She further said the virus could spread through contaminated materials that may have infected skin particles. “The transmission of monkeypox appears to be occurring primarily through close physical contact, including sexual contact. Transmission can also occur from contaminated materials such as linens, bedding, electronics, and clothing that have infectious skin particles,” she said.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday stated that 95% of the monkeypox virus transmissions are happening through sexual activity. The study, which is the largest on the virus to date, suggested that most transmissions so far have been mainly, but not exclusively, amongst men who have sex with men.
However, researchers and doctors have stressed that the virus is not limited to sexual activity and can spread through close physical contact as well. “It is important to stress that monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection in the traditional sense; it can be acquired through any kind of close physical contact, “John Thornhill, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement.
Researchers and doctors have also urged that people remain vigilant and not treat the outbreak as a taboo.
“We need to stay alert and be prepared to roll out an intense response to curtail the spread of monkeypox and while doing this, our efforts and measures should be sensitive, and devoid of stigma & discrimination,” Dr Singh added.
So far, India has recorded four confirmed cases of monkeypox virus, and doctors have recommended wearing masks and following social distancing as safety measures.
(With agency inputs)
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