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Monkeypox is now a concern of the entire world community. Yes, some time ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox as a world health emergency and asked every country to be vigilant.
Of course, this makes a number of people wonder what the dangers of monkeypox are. This is the explanation from dr. Luh Putu Pitawati, SpKK from RSPI Sulianti Suroso, quoted from Celebrities.id, Monday (8/8/2022).
Moms need to understand first, monkeypox is a disease that is generally the same as other smallpox, it can even heal by itself. However, latest news the healing is based on the body’s immune system or a person’s immunity.
If the immunity is good, then monkeypox can recover quickly and can heal itself.
On the other hand, if someone has a compromised immune system, such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with certain diseases, monkeypox healing may take longer than those with good immunity.
From several cases in the world, several groups of people are at risk of exposure to this disease, namely:
- People with low immunity
- Children under five years old
- Elderly people
- Pregnant and lactating mothers
- People who like to eat wild animal meat
Even though monkeypox doesn’t exist in Indonesia, Moms still take care of your body’s immunity. Eat nutritious food and do regular exercise.
Getting to know Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a contagious infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. This disease was first discovered in 1958. At that time there were two outbreaks of a smallpox-like disease that occurred in a group of monkeys. Therefore, this disease is also known as ‘monkeypox’.
A few years after the discovery, in 1970, the first human case of monkeypox was found in the Congo, Africa. Then, in 2022, the monkeypox epidemic spread again.
Even to various countries including Asia. Due to the incident, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox disease status as a global health emergency.
So far, no specific treatment has been found for monkeypox sufferers. In general, patients will recover on their own within 2-4 weeks after being infected with this disease. The treatment given is only aimed at reducing the symptoms.
Although usually the symptoms of monkeypox are not too severe, the patient should still be treated in the hospital. In some cases found, monkeypox can worsen the condition and also cause complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
Until now, there is no specific vaccine that can be given to prevent monkeypox. Maintaining personal and environmental hygiene is one very important step to reduce the risk of contracting this disease.
here are some ways that can be done to prevent the spread of monkeypox:
- Avoid direct contact with animals suspected of having been infected with monkeypox
- Avoid consuming wild animal meat or animal meat that is not cooked until cooked
- Treating and isolating monkeypox sufferers until they are declared cured to prevent more severe transmission
- Implementing a clean and healthy lifestyle, for example by diligently washing hands and feet using soap and water. Especially when after activities outside the home.
- Use personal protective equipment, for example gloves and masks, when in close proximity to monkeypox sufferers
- Avoid traveling to an area or country with a high number of monkeypox cases
- Symptoms of Monkey Pox
In humans, the symptoms of monkeypox look the same as the symptoms of chickenpox, but will be milder. Symptoms begin with fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
The main difference between the symptoms of chickenpox and monkeypox is that in patients with monkeypox it causes swelling of the lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) while ordinary chickenpox does not.
Meanwhile, the incubation period for monkeypox usually ranges from 6 to 13 days but can also be 5 to 21 days. In addition to these symptoms, here are some common symptoms that monkeypox sufferers will experience:
- Headache
- Fever with a temperature of more than 38.5 degrees C
- Lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes)
- Muscle pain or myalgia
- Asthenia (decreased immunity)
- Back pain
- The appearance of smallpox lesions (lumps filled with water or pus all over the body)
- Within 1 to 3 days or sometimes longer after the onset of fever, the patient will also develop a rash, which usually starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body.
- This disease will usually last for 2 to 4 weeks
In Africa alone, monkeypox has been shown to cause death in 1 in 10 people who are positive for the disease.
Some of the above monkeypox prevention steps can be taken to reduce the transmission from being more severe. If you feel you are experiencing the above symptoms, then immediately do an examination so that you are given medicine to relieve it.
