EXPERTS' VIEW ON THIS VIRAL DISEASE:

Monkeypox is transferred from close contact, via body fluids, respiratory droplets, and even clothing. But the human-to-human spread is limited. This virus is not known to be extremely transmissible until it has evolved greatly in terms of transmissibility and routes of transmission.

Despite the increase in cases, an expert stated that it is still too early to talk about a monkeypox pandemic. “Unless the virus has evolved significantly, both in its transmissibility and in its modes of transmission, this virus is known to be not very transmissible." However, he cautioned that the possibility of a global pandemic outbreak cannot be fully ruled out.

Antoine Flahault, Director of the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, said that the appearance of the phenomenon should serve as a warning.

CAN MONKEYPOX BE CONSIDERED AN EPIDEMIC? DOES IT HOLD THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A GLOBAL PANDEMIC?

“We're seeing the emergence of an unusual phenomenon, but it's still difficult to know whether it will explode into an epidemic, or whether its spread will be more contained. In recent days, the number of cases has doubled every three or four days, which could signal the exponential growth of an epidemic wave."

We cannot rule out any possibility at this point, he warned, in terms of monkeypox becoming a pandemic. Moreover, the possibility of a pandemic cannot be fully ruled out. There are, however, less pessimistic scenarios that are at least as probable as scenarios. There have been no reports of chain illnesses involving more than six persons so far. In Africa, the reproduction rate has always been below one, i.e. without pandemic potential.

IS THE DISEASE'S SPREAD SURPRISING AND CONCERNING?

The advent of this phenomenon outside of equatorial Africa should serve as a warning and alert us to be extremely cautious. Now that there are only a few cases, we can try to break all the chains of transmission now, rather than waiting to be swamped by an inflow of cases about which we have very little understanding, few therapies, or vaccinations, he said.
It's important to note that the progression of a contamination pandemic follows an exponential law, which might escalate very quickly. For the time being, what we know about the monkeypox virus does not make us worried about the massive spread among the general population. This virus is not known to be extremely transmissible until it has evolved greatly in terms of transmissibility and routes of transmission.

IS MONKEYPOX A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE?

There is currently no proof that monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease. Close and sustained contact with an infected person who has blisters on their skin appears to be the most efficacious way of its spread.