Amid an mpox outbreak in Congo, more than 27,000 cases and 1,100 deaths have sparked global concern. Photo: ReutersAn mpox outbreak spreading across several African countries has been called a global emergency by the World Health Organization. It has also led to a rise in online disinformation about the disease.
In a video shared on X and Facebook, Wolfgang Wodarg, a German doctor known for his anti-vaccine views, claimed that mpox and shingles share the same symptoms. This is false.
Mpox is an infection caused by a virus that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled wounds (see graphic). While usually mild, it can kill. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, are all at higher risk of complications.
Shingles are caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Patients usually have smaller, painful wounds and rashes.
Mpox belongs to the family of poxviruses. Meanwhile, shingles are a kind of herpes. Mpox was first seen in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The disease is caused by a virus spread by infected animals. However, it is passed between humans through close physical contact.
Two years ago, the WHO declared mpox an emergency when a form of the disease began to spread globally, largely among men who have sex with men.
That outbreak was brought under control after behaviour change and safe sex practices. Vaccines also helped people at risk protect themselves in many countries.
But mpox has been a public health problem in parts of Africa for decades. The current outbreak is Congo’s worst ever. It has seen 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, mainly among children. Two strains of mpox are spreading in Congo.
Vaccination, educating at-risk individuals and isolating people who have had close contact with recorded cases helped the world contain the 2022 mpox outbreak.
“The WHO cannot and has not ordered governments to prepare for ‘mega lockdowns’ or any kind of lockdown due to mpox,” the organisation said in response to fake information about the virus being spread online.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters
How worried should I be about mpox?
Mpox transmits through close physical contact, including sexual contact. There is no evidence that it spreads easily through the air. Fatality rates for mpox vary. The availability of healthcare plays an important role in the outcome for the sickest patients.
The good news is that some smallpox vaccines have been shown to prevent mpox. This offers a ray of hope in the fight against this disease. Here is what you can do to protect yourself from mpox:
1. Avoid close contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox.
2. Avoid handling clothes, sheets, blankets or other materials that have been in contact with an infected animal or person.
3. Wash your hands well with soap and water after any contact with an infected person or animal.
4. Avoid rodents, hedgehogs, prairie dogs and squirrels. They could be carrying the virus.