The Hague, October 22 (IANS). The first case of a new and more contagious variant of monkeypox has been reported in the Netherlands. This information was given by the country’s Health, Welfare and Sports Minister Jan Anthony Bruijn by writing a letter to the Parliament.
He said that the infection was identified on October 17 and this is the first time that monkeypox variant 1b has been confirmed in the Netherlands.
The minister said in the letter that the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are monitoring the situation and taking it seriously. However, he also assured the public that the risk of further spread of this variant appears to be low.
According to Xinhua news agency, the National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM) has informed that the person in whom this infection has been found had not taken the monkeypox vaccine nor had he undertaken any international travel. Due to this, it is being suspected that this infection has spread within the country.
The infected person has been kept in isolation and the local health department is investigating his travel history, contacts and the source of infection.
Let us tell you that monkeypox is a viral disease which spreads mainly through close skin-to-skin contact. Its symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat, body rash and back pain.
According to RIVM, the virus usually spreads through direct physical contact with an infected person. This contact can be skin-to-skin, mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin. Also, if a person comes in close contact with a person suffering from monkeypox, the virus can also spread because infected particles can spread in the air.
Experts say that people who have more than one sexual partner have a higher risk of getting monkeypox. The virus can also spread through infected clothing, bed sheets, towels, or used items. If precautions are not taken in hospitals, this infection can spread even through needle stick. Even in places like tattoo parlors where skin related procedures are done, this virus can spread if cleanliness is not taken care of.
This infection can be especially dangerous for pregnant women. If monkeypox is contracted during pregnancy, the virus can reach the baby in the womb. This can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, or complications for both mother and child. Therefore, health experts say that pregnant women should take special precautions.
Experts believe that more study is needed on how monkeypox spreads in different countries and situations. With this, a better strategy can be made to prevent future infections.
–IANS
PK/AS