Monkeypox has exploded around the world with more than 44,000 cases in over 95 countries. While the numbers may seem alarming, there are strong differences between monkeypox and the coronavirus in terms of how it’s spread and its severity to the public.
Another difference is that while the version of coronavirus or COVID-19 was new when it first appeared in late 2019, monkeypox has been around for centuries and maybe longer. Related to the eradicated smallpox virus, monkeypox is not nearly as deadly nor does it spread in the same way as the coronavirus.
How Does Monkeypox Spread?
Until the current outbreak, monkeypox mostly spread via close contact with animals that were infected with the virus. This means contact through bites, feces, bodily fluids, or consuming meat that was not properly cooked.
Although it was first named monkeypox in 1958 because it was found in lab monkeys, the virus is primarily carried by rodents in tropical rainforests. There have been periodic outbreaks around the world, though it is mostly regulated in Africa.
The current outbreak of monkeypox can be transmitted through very close physical contact, such as skin-to-skin, including:
- Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.
- Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
- Contact with respiratory secretions.
This means that, unlike COVID, sitting right next to an infected person will normally not spread the virus to them. Only close skin-to-skin contact under the above circumstances will do it.
Monkeypox Symptoms
A person infected with monkeypox usually takes one to two weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and tiredness. However, the most notable symptom of the outbreak is a painful rash often displayed on one’s face, feet, mouth, hands, and genitals. This happens about two to three days after the initial flu-like symptoms.
A common occurrence in many recent cases is a single lesion on the body. Lesions last for about two to three weeks. Once scabs form and fall off, the person is no longer infectious.
Death is relatively rare from monkeypox. Of the over 44,000 known cases, there have been only a handful of confirmed deaths. While the spread of monkeypox should be taken seriously, the death rate makes it far less serious than the coronavirus.
Why Call Brickley Environmental?
With monkeypox and many other viruses on the loose, it pays to have a professional team of experts on call to answer your questions and provide the right type of information and services. Brickley Environmental has been serving the Southern California area for over 30 years. Experts in asbestos and hazardous waste removal, Brickley Environmental can also answer your questions about possible contamination at your business or residential location.
Call today and find out more about how Brickley Environmental can help you. We are here to answer your questions, explain our services, and provide the best assistance possible to meet your needs.
For more information on the monkeypox virus, click here to visit the CDC website.