• Monkeypox Does Not Spread Through Airborne Transmission: CDC

    Health
    Monkeypox Does Not Spread Through Airborne Transmission: CDC

    Monkeypox cases have nearly reached 1,500 since May 13, with more infections suspected.


    Digital Desk:
    The Monkeypox virus is not transmitted through the air and it is only
    transmitted through physical contact or coming into contact with contaminated
    materials, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Friday.



    Monkeypox now
    poses a very serious risk of spreading further, according to WHO, with the
    total number of cases crossing 1,000 on June 9 in 29 countries where the virus
    is not endemic.



    The CDC claimed
    in a statement that the virus may be spread through respiratory droplets but
    that it could not survive and stay airborne for long distances.



    According to
    the United Kingdom, which has reported more than 370 instances, monkeypox is a
    "high consequence infectious disease" that can be transmitted through
    the air. The World Health Organization has warned that, while unusual, airborne
    transmission of the virus is harmful and requires measures in the event it
    occurs.



    Cases have been
    reported in over 15 states in the United States alone.



    Monkeypox cases
    have nearly reached 1,500 since May 13, with more infections suspected.



    "Until
    now, Monkeypox patients would present with flu-like symptoms before
    developing the telltale rash." Recent instances, on the other hand, are
    revealing a distinct pattern: some people acquire a rash initially, while
    others don't display any symptoms at all, "stated CDC Director Dr Rochelle
    Walensky. "At this time, no deaths have been reported."



    The topic of
    whether monkeypox can be transferred through the air remains unanswered.
    However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released safety advice in the
    event that you are infected with the virus. If you live with a monkeypox
    patient, these precautions include isolation and avoiding contact with
    contaminated bedding and/or clothing.



    In the past,
    cases of monkeypox transmission by air have been described. In 2017, two
    healthcare professionals in Nigeria who had no personal contact with an
    infected person tested positive for monkeypox. In the current situation, a few
    patients may not know how or where they became infected, and airborne
    transmission could be a plausible explanation.



    According to
    Lidia Morawska, an air quality expert at the Queensland University of
    Technology in Australia, the allegations that monkeypox has huge droplets are
    false.



    Monkeypox has
    been observed to take up space in the respiratory tract or saliva, causing
    infected droplets to be expelled during singing, speaking, coughing, or
    sneezing.



    While the CDC
    claims that airborne transmission is impossible, it has acknowledged the
    possibility of short-term airborne transmission and advised patients to wear
    N-95 masks.



    Cases in the
    United Kingdom, where the source of infection is still unknown, show that
    monkeypox is spreading quietly and that the true caseload is significantly
    higher.