Respiratory droplets might play a role in the spread of Mpox but not as efficiently as Covid-19 or even flu, said infectious disease experts on Wednesday. Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. The disease is currently seeing an outbreak in Africa with over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a global health emergency.
It majorly causes fevers, headaches, and muscle aches, as well as painful boils on the skin. It spreads from person to person through close, skin-to-skin contact. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prolonged face-to-face interactions (such as talking or breathing)” may increase the risk of transmission.
The WHO also maintains that respiratory droplets (and possibly short-range aerosols) can result in Mpox transmission. “This suggests that respiratory droplets might play a role in transmission. That being said, it’s considered to play a lesser role in transmission dynamics as compared to direct intimate contact and sexual contact which are the primary modes of transmission,” Dr.
Dipu T S, Professor and Unit Chief, Infectious Diseases Department, Amrita Hospital, Kochim told IANS. A recent study published by the University of New South Wales in Australia showed that the current outbreak caused by the Clade 1 strain has reported 70 per ce.