Monkeypox is breaking out in Europe, and it appears it might break out here. Officials report a case in Massachusetts, the first first case of the pox in the country this year:
[T]he patient is an adult male who recently traveled to Canada. The department completed initial testing Tuesday and was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The case poses no risk to the public, and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition,” MDPH stated in a press release. “DPH is working closely with the CDC, relevant local boards of health, and the patient’s health care providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient while he was infectious.”
[1st monkeypox case in US this year reported in Massachusetts, by Mary Kekatos, ABC News, May 18, 2022]
Seven cases have been diagnosed in England.
Seven cases in UK could be tip of iceberg
— English Flowers (@FlowersEnglish) May 18, 2022
First time ever spreading in community and appears to be transmitting via sex
Can kill one in 10 but milder strain is transmitting in UK, which kills one in 100. DOVER INVASIONhttps://t.co/0TaIcNzRUq via @MailOnline
“Four more cases of monkeypox have been identified in the UK, bringing the total number of confirmed cases of the disease to seven,” The Guardian reported two days ago:
Three of the cases were detected in London, and one in the north-east of England. …
The cases do not, however, seem to be connected to the previous confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK announced on 14 May, nor the first UK case announced on 7 May, which has led to concerns that there has been community transmission of the virus.
The first case was a person who had recently travelled to Nigeria, which is where they are believed to have contracted the infection before travelling to the UK.
UKHSA added that all four of the most recent cases are men who identify as gay or bisexual.
[Four new cases of monkeypox identified in the UK, bringing total to seven, PA Media, May 16, 2022]
Officials report eight cases in Spain and five in Portugal:
Portugal is reporting 5 monkeypox cases and 20 suspected cases.
— Dr Alexandra Phelan (@alexandraphelan) May 18, 2022
All cases are young men, healthy and stable, presenting with lesions.
With outbreaks in UK and Portugal, Europe needs to enhance surveillance, with non-stigmatizing public health comms.https://t.co/WMViIeu1vx
Two cases were found in the United States last year, and 46 in 2003 among imported mammals, the Centers for Disease Control’s Monkeypox page says.
Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as cowpox and smallpox. In November, CDC warned about an outbreak in Nigeria.
Someone traveling to Africa and back might contract the pathogen. Or maybe, just maybe, the African “migrants” who are browning Europe have inoculated the West with this virus.
Meanwhile, border agents handled almost 250,000 “migrants” who jumped the border with Mexico, and Let’s Go Brandon released more than 117,000.
Don’t worry about how many entered your hometown with monkeypox, Chagas disease, dengue fever, the Flu Manchu, or multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
Just keep repeating, “diversity is our strength” ... even if it kills us!
