Monkeypox Outbreak Origin Could Be Superspreader Events Like Sauna Party, Fetish Festival Countries Like US, Spain, Belgium

The World Health Organization recently held an emergency meeting to discuss the dangers of monkeypox disease, a rare viral infection.

In connection to this, a Daily Star report specified that the disease's outbreak had been associated with a superspreader event in Madrid, Spain.

Twenty cases of the disease endemic to West Africa have been detected in the United Kingdom thus far, with further occurrences in other countries, including the United States and Australia, as well as in Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Spain.

The officials said in the Spanish capital, most of the 30 cases in the country have been traced back to a sauna there.

'Notable Proportion' of the UK and European Cases in Gay and Bisexual Men

The region's health chief Enrique Ruiz told the media this is the case following health officials' report of a "notable proportion" of the UK and European cases that have occurred in gay and bisexual men.

The first 14 cases in Portugal were in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sexual intercourse with men. On Friday, the country confirmed nine more cases of the virus.

Meanwhile, three cases in Belgium have also been associated with a "fetish festival in Antwerp," as indicated in a report from The Telegraph.

There's a reason for assuming that monkeypox has been brought in by visitors from the festival following recent cases in other countries, as stated on the festival's website.

Superspreader Events

Darklands, a ticketing event, has described itself as "a place where different tribes in the fetish community," including rubber, army skinhead, puppies, and leather, gather together to create a unique spectacle of fetish brotherhood. The UK on Friday confirmed 11 new cases of monkeypox, bringing a total number of 20.

According to professor of medicine John Brownstein, from the Harvard Medicine School in the US, 127 cases worldwide have been reported in 11 countries.

German scientists explained that the largest ever seen in Europe of the viral condition, which can lead to symptoms like fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and chills.

Monkeypox is detected outside of Africa, the reason health leaders have raised concerns. The Robert Koch Institute's Fabian Leendertz described the present outbreak as an epidemic.

He reassured, even though the disease is very unlikely, that "this epidemic will last long." Such cases can be well isolated through contact tracing, and there are drugs and effective vaccines that can be used if needed.

How the Monkeypox Spreads

According to a WHO report, infection of index cases is caused by direct contact who has blood, bodily fluids, "or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals."

In Africa, the health organization also said evidence of the infectious disease had been found in different animals. Some include dormice, rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian poached rats, and various monkey species.

Transmission via respiratory droplet particles normally needs long face-to-face contact, which puts health workers and household members with active cases at higher risk.

The longest recorded transmission chain of the viral infection in a community was six subsequent human-to-human contagions.

Monkeypox transmission can occur through the placenta and transfer from mother to fetus. This is also called congenital monkeypox.

Related information about monkeypox is shown on Strong Medicine's YouTube video below:

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