What are the ways of infection with monkeypox? The World Health Organization answers

A World Health Organization spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that droplets are a "secondary" way of transmitting monkeypox, stressing the need for additional research to better understand how the virus is transmitted.

Monkeypox is spread from person to person through "close physical contact," according to the World Health Organization.

The organization explains on its website that close physical contact means “touching two bodies (for example, touching or sexual relations), contact through the mouth or from mouth to skin (kissing), as well as through “being in close proximity to an infected person (talking or breathing in close proximity and thus being close to infectious respiratory particles).”

"If you're talking to someone in close proximity, if you're breathing into them, if you're physically close to them, there's a possibility that droplets can be transmitted to the other person, if you have sores," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said during a regular press conference in Geneva.

She stressed that "this is a secondary source" of transmission. However, she added that "more research is needed to better understand how the virus is transmitted."

According to the World Health Organization, the virus can also remain for a certain period on clothes, linens... and surfaces that an infected person has touched.

The person who touches it could also be at risk of infection if they have cuts or scars or if they touch their eyes, nose, mouth or other mucous membranes before washing their hands.

WHO recommends cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects, as well as washing hands after touching surfaces or objects that may be contaminated.

Lack of data on the severity of monkeypox

However, the organization does not recommend wearing masks. Harris said that it is recommended that people with monkeypox, their contacts, and health care workers wear masks.

According to the World Health Organization, people infected with monkeypox are able to transmit the infection until the rash crusts over and falls off, a new layer of skin forms, and all sores on the eyes and body have healed, which takes "two to four weeks."

The resurgence of monkeypox in Africa prompted the World Health Organization to raise its global alert level on August 14 after it spread to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, and the emergence of the new variant (1b).

"The 1a and 1b variants are circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," Harris added, but "we don't have the data" to confirm that one is more dangerous than the other.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans from infected animals but can also be transmitted between humans through close physical contact. It causes fever, muscle pain and a skin rash.

The World Health Organization estimates that $135 million will be needed to fund the global response to monkeypox over the next six months. It launched an appeal for $87.4 million on Tuesday to support its virus-fighting activities.

For its part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned that camps for displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other affected countries in Africa could be severely affected by the spread of the disease.

“Without urgent additional support, the latest monkeypox outbreak could be devastating for refugees and displaced communities,” said Alain Maina, UNHCR’s Chief of Public Health.

Implementing monkeypox prevention measures among those fleeing violence is a "huge challenge", he added, with people being pushed into overcrowded shelters lacking sanitation while others face disruption to humanitarian aid.

(AFP)