Mutations behind monkeypox surge? WHO studying genetic changes in virus
Monkeypox cases explode in California
As the monkeypox virus continues to spread worldwide, the World Health Organisation(WHO) said it is studying whether mutations are responsible for the spread.
The UN health body had earlier warned people infected with the virus not to expose themselves to animals as it confirmed the first case of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox amid fears the virus could have mutated.
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The WHO had recently renamed two variants of the virus as Clade I and Clade II. The world health agency said Clade II had two sub-clades, IIa and IIb and later confirmed that Clades IIa and IIb are related.
WHO experts are now studying genetic changes in the virus to find out if mutations are leading to increased transmission of the virus. The virus was first reported in Europe in May as the WHO moved to declare it a public health emergency last month.
Watch:WHO stresses monkeypox surge not linked to monkeys
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According to reports, the virus has now spread to at least 92 countries with over 35,000 infected cases worldwide with most new cases being reported from Europe and the Americas.
The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with at least 13,500 cases with the majority of cases being detected among men who have had sexual contact with other men. US health officials have delivered one million doses of Jynneos vaccines however it continues to be in short supply. The US government said it will also offer antiviral treatment TPOXX to various states amid surge in monkeypox cases.
The virus has also been detected among kids and adolescents. The Lancet medical journal highlighted the virus spreads with "skin-to-skin contact during sex" with most patients displaying common symptoms namely aches and skin lesions.
The Lancet study also said that at least 18 per cent of people in its study were infected with the virus despite taking the vaccine and some had taken the doses for many years.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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