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The complete guide to monkeypox
Just when countries began putting COVID-19 behind them, there’s a new disease in the headlines: “monkeypox”. Common in remote parts of Central and West Africa, monkeypox cases have been confirmed in a number of countries outside the region – including the UK, and are raising a lot of questions about the disease. If you too are unsure about what monkeypox is and how the disease spreads, then continue reading this Pacific Prime UK article.
What is monkeypox?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which also includes the variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine) and cowpox virus. First discovered in 1958 in colonies of monkeys kept for research, the first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox.
Mpox is the new term for monkeypox
As of November 2022, mpox is the preferred term for monkeypox as stated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The name change is a result of scientists and experts asking for a novel term since the latest outbreak to prevent discrimination and stigma that could cause people to avoid testing and vaccination. WHO mentioned that the term ‘monkeypox’ will remain searchable in the International Classification of Diseases and both names will continue to be used simultaneously for a one-year period while the original term is phased out.
Symptoms of monkeypox
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has come up with a list of monkeypox symptoms for persons of any age residing in a country where monkeypox isn’t endemic. If you have an unexplained acute rash AND any of the below symptoms, it’s a suspected case of monkeypox.
- Headache
- Acute onset of fever (>38.5°C)
- Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes)
- Myalgia (muscle and body aches)
- Back pain
- Asthenia (profound weakness)
Please note that the UK government describes monkeypox as usually being a mild, self-limiting illness with most people recovering within a few weeks, but also acknowledges that severe illness can occur in some individuals.
How does monkeypox spread?
While the natural reservoir of monkeypox is unknown, it’s thought that African rodents and non-human primates (such as monkeys) harbour the virus and infect people. Today, monkeypox cases are mainly found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with Central and Western African countries like Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
It can also spread to other countries via travel, which is what happened on May 7th, 2022. As the UK government confirmed, the patient in question had a recent travel history from Nigeria, which is where they are believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK. That being said, there is now community transmission of monkeypox in the UK. Put simply, this means that cases are being discovered amongst those with no travel history to infected regions and countries.
Community transmission
The WHO stipulates that the monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding. As such, you should protect yourself by:
- Avoiding close contact with monkeypox patients and with wild, sick or dead animals
- Making sure all food that contains animal meat is cooked thoroughly
- Speaking to your GP if you’re at risk of contracting monkeypox
Please also note that the CDC confirms that there’s no proven, safe monkeypox treatment at the moment. Many countries use vaccines, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) for the purpose of controlling monkeypox outbreaks.
Looking for health insurance? Pacific Prime UK can help.
While it’s vital to look after yourself to prevent getting ill, it’s equally important to secure access to good healthcare in the event that you do get ill. As we know, nothing in life is certain, and being in possession of a comprehensive, private health insurance plan can put your mind at ease. No matter what happens and no matter where you are, you’ll be able to get care from the best hospitals and doctors – without having to worry about spiralling medical bills or paying out of pocket.
Not sure where to begin in your hunt for health insurance (including expat health insurance and international health insurance)? No problem at all – Pacific Prime UK is here to help. As a global health insurance brokerage, we have 20+ years of experience helping individuals find, compare and select the best plan for their needs and budget. Sticking to our motto of ‘simplifying insurance’, we also provide a number of other free value-added services to support clients throughout their insurance journey – from insurer liaison to claims submission and much more.
Contact our team of friendly, knowledgeable and impartial advisors to get started!
With over 5 years of experience in the field, Suphanida spends the majority of her day synthesizing complex pieces of insurance-related information and translating this into easy-to-understand, engaging, and effective content across a variety of media such as articles, infographics, whitepapers, videos, and more.
Suphanida is also responsible for planning and publishing three whitepapers released annually by Pacific Prime: The State of Health Insurance Report, The Cost of Health Insurance Report, and The Global Employee Benefits Trends Report. Additionally, she handles the LinkedIn profiles of Pacific Prime’s Founder and CEO, as well as Global HR Lead.
Suphanida’s strengths lie in her strong research and analytical skills, which she has gained from her BA in Politics from the University of Warwick and Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in Journalism from Aarhus University and City, University of London.
Being of Thai-Indian origin and having lived, studied, and worked in Thailand, the UK, and Denmark, Suphanida also has a unique, multicultural perspective that helps her understand the struggles of expats and globetrotters.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to new places and immersing herself in different cultures.
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