As global health officials sound the alarm about the new MPOX strain and countries step up surveillance, Baystate health care workers will feel a “heightened awareness” of the virus.
The World Health Organization has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in response to a large outbreak of lineage 1 mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Central African countries, which is thought to be more severe than the lineage 2b infection that is prevalent globally.
There are no confirmed cases linked to the lineage 1 outbreak in Massachusetts or the United States, but a case has been detected in Sweden, the first outside of Africa.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said it has been “actively” responding to the lineage 1 outbreak since earlier this year and sent clinical advisories to local health care organizations in April.
“There has been a high level of awareness among Massachusetts health care workers since the first MPOX cases of the pandemic were identified in Massachusetts in spring 2022,” DPH said in a statement. “The WHO announcement is likely to increase awareness among health care workers.”
A total of 516 MPOX cases have occurred in Massachusetts since 2022, all believed to be due to the previous Clade 2b outbreak, including four MPOX cases detected in the state this summer.
“MDPH has been working closely with partner organizations to raise awareness of the disease and promote vaccinations through our network of clinics across Massachusetts,” DPH said.
MPOX is transmitted through close, usually skin-to-skin, contact with someone who has the disease. Avoiding such contact can help prevent MPOX.
There is also a vaccine, “Jynneos,” that is recommended for individuals defined as at risk by the CDC.
The first confirmed cases of MPOX clade 1 infection in Sweden “highlights the need for affected countries to work together to tackle the virus,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote in a post.
“We encourage all countries to strengthen surveillance, share data, work to improve understanding of transmission, share tools such as vaccines, and apply lessons learned from previous public health emergencies of international concern in responding to the current outbreak,” the Director-General added.
People with MPOX often develop a rash on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, or near the genitals.
The incubation period lasts from 3 to 17 days. During this time, you may not experience any symptoms and may feel fine.
The rash goes through several stages, including crusting, before healing. The rash may initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful and itchy.
Other symptoms of MPOX include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle or back pain, headache, and respiratory symptoms.
“Over the past month, we have seen much lower case numbers than historically and case numbers remain low,” said Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s public health officer and executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “We recognize the global MPOX public health emergency and continue to work closely with our partners at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to continue to monitor the virus.”
“The best way for people to protect themselves and their communities is to get vaccinated against measles,” Ojikutu added. “The vaccine is a key tool in keeping people safe and healthy.”
If you think you may have MPOX, you should call or visit your health care provider and avoid contact with others while waiting for a diagnosis.
“Healthcare professionals can test for MPOX by sending a swab of one or more skin lesions to a clinical laboratory,” DPH said, “which is available at commercial clinical laboratories and the MDPH State Public Health Laboratory (and tests to differentiate between Clade 1 and Clade 2 disease can be done at the State laboratory).”
First published: August 16, 2024, 8:12 PM
