How to avoid monkeypox virus.

How to avoid monkeypox virus. When the Federal Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the outbreak of monkeypox had spread to 11 states with 74 recorded cases, apprehension, as would be expected, is naturally growing among the populace. 

There is concern that the outbreak may grow to the level of an epidemic if steps are not taken by the citizenry, to break the chain of transmission. 

 A casual look at the monstrous blisters all over the face and body of an infected person, when the disease is at the advanced stage (as seen in the picture on this page) should be enough incentive to make every effort to avoid getting infected. Since the outbreak occurred in Bayelsa State on September 22, 2017, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said the virus has marched into Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River and five other states. Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus that is transmitted to humans from animals) which shows symptoms in humans similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although less severe. 

 Smallpox was eradicated in 1980. According to medicine.com, monkeypox occurs sporadically in some parts of Africa. The symptoms of monkeypox include severe headache, fever, back pains among others. Other physical manifestations are huge rashes, the size of which are far bigger than those seen when a person has chicken pox. The rashes spread out all over the body of the infected person.