Main Facts
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States have warned doctors and health officials about a deadly strain of the monkeypox virus, with experts indicating that the contagious strain spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may spread globally.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing the largest outbreak of monkeypox ever recorded.
There are two types of viruses that can cause monkeypox infection, which are genetically distinct strains known as strain one and strain two, and the diseases caused by the virus can manifest in various ways.
The first strain of the virus is causing the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in a more severe, more lethal, and more infectious disease than the second strain that spread globally last year, with a fatality rate of about 10% for strain one (while the fatality rate for strain two is under 1%).
New evidence indicates that the first strain, which has historically caused sporadic outbreaks linked to contact with infected animals and limited transmission between people, is now being spread through sexual contact, which is a major driver of the global outbreak primarily affecting gay men and men who have sex with men.
What to Watch For
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that doctors report to state health departments if symptoms similar to monkeypox appear in travelers who have recently visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo and quickly provide biological samples to identify the strain responsible for the disease. The first strain has not been previously identified in the United States.
Key Background
The global spread of monkeypox in 2022 shocked health experts. Although the disease, which was previously known as monkeypox, has been known for decades, it was rarely seen outside of specific regions in Africa, where it typically caused sporadic and limited outbreaks associated with close contact with infected animals. Cases elsewhere were limited and linked to travel to those areas or, as evidenced by the well-known case in the United States in 2003, linked to wildlife. The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in July 2022, marking the highest level of alert for the organization. The virus is closely related to one of the deadliest diseases in human history: smallpox. The similarities between the viruses mean that vaccination against one provides some protection against the other, and the discontinuation of vaccination programs following the eradication of smallpox has raised concerns among some experts that monkeypox could spread to fill the void left by smallpox. Monkeypox has symptoms similar to those of smallpox, including fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash, but it is less severe and rarely fatal (the most common form of smallpox killed about one-third of those infected, and more severe forms were usually fatal). Monkeypox also has a lower transmission rate – smallpox could spread through respiratory droplets – and spreads primarily through close contact with infected people and animals or through contaminated objects and surfaces. The virus was not believed to be sexually transmitted prior to last year’s outbreak.
More Information
Approximately 12,569 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the largest outbreak in the country’s history, and this number represents a significant increase from the average of 3,767 suspected cases per year from 2016 to 2021. Although genetic testing is not conducted on all suspected monkeypox cases – hence “suspected cases” rely on clinical presentation – the cases in which testing was conducted have “confirmed” the first strain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is estimated that there have been about 600 deaths due to monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this year, representing about 5% of the suspected cases. The virus has also been detected in more areas of the country than before, with new transmission methods identified and spreading in urban areas that were previously unaffected, such as Kinshasa, according to a report from the World Health Organization. The organization concluded that the outbreak clearly illustrates “the extent to which the monkeypox epidemic is changing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
Number
The Great
92,167. This is the number of monkeypox cases recorded worldwide since the beginning of 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of these cases are in areas that had not previously recorded monkeypox, including more than 31,000 cases in the United States. There have been 55 deaths in the United States and 170 deaths from monkeypox worldwide since the beginning of 2022. Although the virus is still spreading in some areas of Africa and internationally, many health agencies have lifted emergency warnings about monkeypox, including the World Health Organization.
For more information
Amid Congo’s deadliest monkeypox outbreak, new worry: the virus has become sexually transmittable
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