New Monkeypox PCR Test Will Give Results in 90 Minutes, Help Mitigate Spread of Virus

Scientists have recently developed a new test that can identify the virus in less than two hours, or 90 minutes, in particular.

Monkeypox is one wave of viral threats to hit the United Kingdom in recent years, as specified in a Dailly Express report.

Since the initial cases were identified in the spring, the disease has spread throughout the community, primarily among sexually active young males.

Essentially, the number of monkeypox cases is growing. As of June 28, there were over a thousand cases of the virus in the UK. Monkeypox is an infrequent viral infection originally coming from the African continent.

Detecting the Virus in Less Than 2 Hours

The initial cases were first identified in May with the virus coming back for the first time since a handful of cases had been reported in 2018.

Then, moving forward to this year, scientists said, as earlier mentioned, they have been able to develop a test that's capable of identifying whether a person is infected with monkeypox in just more than an hour.

This new test has been developed by the South Korean diagnostic company, Seegene. The firm developed such a test, hoping that this test will help countries follow the spread of the virus and control transmission.

The number of cases of the monkeypox virus is expected to rise this summer as populations mix at festivals and nightclubs across Europe and the UK.

What to Do to Avoid Monkeypox Outbreak

Even though spread through the large droplets' transmission, monkeypox is predominantly transmitted through "skin-on-skin touching."

Explaining information about outbreak, Dr. Sophia Makki, incident director of the United Kingdom Health Security Agency said, the monkeypox outbreak in the UK continues to grow, with more than 1,000 cases currently confirmed across the nation.

Makki also said they are expecting cases to continue rising further in the days and weeks to come. She also warned that if people are attending big events this summer, or getting involved in sexual activities with new partners, they should be alert to any symptoms of the virus so they can get tested quickly and help prevent the spread of infection to many.

The UKHSA director added that while most of the cases were being reported in sexually active young males that anyone could develop the disease.

Monkeypox Symptoms and Other Diseases to Watch Out For

Dr. Makki warned, that if one is concerned he may have monkeypox, he is advised not to attend events, meet with friends, or even engaged in any sexual activity.

Among the symptoms of the disease to look out for, as specified in a report from the World Health Organization include rashes, headaches, high temperatures, muscle aches, backaches, swollen glands, and exhaustion, among others.

However, monkeypox is not the only viral threat to hit the UK this year. Other illnesses to watch out for include polio and hepatitis.

Polio, for the first time since 1984, has been identified in the country in north London. The exact cause of the said outbreak remains unknown, although health officials are concerned local transmission could result in mutation of the virus.

Earlier this 2022, a mysterious form of hepatitis started affecting young kids below five years old in Scotland. Months after the said outbreak and cases have now been identified in more than 30 countries.

At present, the cause of the virus remains unknown although it is believed that COVID-19 may have played a vital role in such a spread.

Related information about testing monkeypox with the rapid results is shown on Stanford Medicine's YouTube video below:

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