Monkeypox!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified nine monkeypox cases in seven states in the U.S. as of Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Cases have been confirmed in Massachusetts, Florida, Utah, Washington, California, Virginia and New York. So far, virtually all of the cases have been gay and bisexual men who have sex with men except for one woman in the state of Virginia. However, the CDC calls for an approach to combat the monkeypox virus on a scientific basis and not by creating social blame, which is as it should be since the virus appears to be transmitted only through an exchange or reception of bodily fluids from an infected host.

In podcast #38, Millennial Z points out the history of the monkeypox virus, and it being discovered in 1958 while missionaries were deep in the Congo nation of Africa while attempting to eradicate the smallpox virus. The monkeypox virus didn’t make it to the shores of the U.S. until 2003 when infected prairie dogs that were purchased as pets from Africa became infected while housed in cages with other infected rodents awaiting shipment. Due to the relatively difficult transmission and early identification of the monkeypox outbreaks at that time, the virus soon dissipated. Currently, millions of vaccines have been prepared and are ready to ship for large outbreaks of the monkeypox virus within the U.S.

Monkeypox has symptoms similar to smallpox but is clinically less severe. Lesions typically become visible on the face, hands and forearms as pustules and boils, and the lymph glands become inflamed in the neck, back, armpits and groin. There is back pain and muscles aches with high fever and rashes throughout the body. After two to three weeks the lesions scab over and the person is no longer contagious. Lesions can also been found on the groin, palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

The CDC has also issued a “level 2” travel warning due to the monkeypox virus. There have been outbreaks of the virus in France, Belgium, Italy and Australia as well as the U.S. Naturally, if you’re traveling avoid people with lesions, obviously ill, or dead or wild animals. Also avoid using materials contaminated by sick people or products used or derived from animals from Africa in the event they were infected.

So, use some basic risk assessment and aversion as well as some common sense and we should all be fine unless you are in a profession or have happened to come in contact with those who are infected.

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