A Monkeypox outbreak that started in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to neighboring countries and continents which had never reported Monkeypox before.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Monkeypox, recently shortened to Mpox, can be spread by direct skin-to-skin contact with the sores and scabs from a person with Monkeypox.
According to the U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a main symptom is a painful or itchy rash that looks like either pimples or blisters. Other symptoms include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, backaches, headaches and respiratory symptoms.
The National Library of Medicine explained that there are two types of virus that cause Mpox. One comes from eastern regions in Africa and the other comes from the continent’s western regions.
The rapid spread of Monkeypox led the World Health Organization Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhamnon Ghebreyesus, to declare Monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern.
Currently, the risk of contracting Mpox in the United states is low. To date there have been 33,590 cases here, and 60 deaths.
To date there have been 6,350 cases in California, including 2,493 cases in Los Angeles County.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, vaccination with the JYNNEOS vaccine, the same vaccine that offers protection against smallpox, can protect against Mpox.
—Karina Rodriguez
Karina Rodriguez is a senior journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and editor-in-chief of the Campus Times. She has previously served as sports editor, social media editor, arts editor and a staff writer.
