19 Aug 2022 | 09:56 AM UTC
Sub-Saharan Africa: Officials report confirmed monkeypox cases in multiple countries as of August
Confirmed monkeypox cases in multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa, August. Risk of transmission is low. Use basic health precautions.
Event
Health officials have identified 57 cases of monkeypox in multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa June 8-Aug. 15. Ghana is the most affected country reporting 47 confirmed cases. Other countries have reported monkeypox cases including Somalia (three suspected cases), South Africa (four confirmed cases), Sudan (one confirmed, one suspected), and Zambia (one suspected case). Officials may identify additional cases in the coming weeks as disease surveillance and contact tracing continues. This represents the most updated data as of Aug. 18.
Context
In contrast to past sporadic cases linked to travel to endemic countries, health officials have not confirmed the source of infection for the current outbreak, which is primarily centered in Europe. Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact, with the increase in recent cases linked to sexual contact, suggesting that the virus linked to the disease can be sexually transmitted. The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant safe sexual practices and suggests monkeypox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners.
Most monkeypox cases in Africa are reported in West and Central Africa, primarily in the DRC, Nigeria, and Cameroon among individuals who report contact with wild primates or other mammals which may harbor the disease.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, monkeypox is not the same as smallpox, and it does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Monkeypox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding). Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
Advice
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas, such as nightclubs, and consider using safe sexual practices, such as physical barriers (condoms), in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas. Vaccines are available but limited.
