Liberia: Mpox Is Not Chickenpox – Here’s the Difference

The Mpox disease has been declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by the Africa Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization (WHO) after 13 countries, including Liberia, reported 17,541 cases and 517 deaths.

These figures, according to the Africa CDC, represent a 160% and 19% increase in the number of cases and deaths reported in 2024 when compared to 2023.

“A 79% increase in the number of cases was observed in 2023 compared with 2022. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) accounts for 96% of all cases and 97% of all deaths reported in 2024.”

‘Investigations in the DRC suggest that heterosexual transmission’

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported the highest number of cases, accounting for 96% and 97% of deaths, says the Africa CDC.

“Investigations in the DRC suggest that heterosexual transmission, especially among female sex workers (9%), is driving the outbreak.”

In Liberia, six cases have been reported by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). Five cases were reported on August 7, 2024, and one case was reported last week.

“You have seen the previous report that we have 5 cases, but just in the last 3 days, a case that was suspected on the 4th of July in Nimba County was not tested because of the lack of testing kits at that time. Just recently, we got some testing kits in country supply from the WHO, so we were able to test that case sample immediately and get proof that case immediately and get proof to have been positive. that update our record submitted to the International Repository of Epidemiological Data shows that Liberia has detected six cases, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, NPHIL’s Director-General, disclosed this at the Ministry of Information press briefing. However, Dr. Nyan said no deaths have been reported so far.

Mpox is the disease caused by the monkeypox virus that was discovered in Denmark (1958) in monkeys kept for research, and the first reported human case of mpox was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, 1970).

Mpox is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, sexual contact with bodily fluids or lesions found around the anus, rectum, or vagina from an Mpox infected person, and through respiratory secretions and droplets.

Rash, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes are the most known signs and symptoms of mpox disease.

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Like mpox, rash is one of the signs and symptoms of chickenpox disease, which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chickenpox is very contagious and can be transmitted from unvaccinated people to people who have never had the virus. Symptoms include an itchy, blister-like rash in addition to other symptoms.

The chickenpox illness usually lasts between 4 to 7 days. Children usually miss 5 to 6 days of school or childcare due to chickenpox, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control. While both diseases sound similar, the illnesses have different transmission modes, prevention methods, signs, and symptoms. In fact, Mpox is not related to chickenpox.

“Monkey pox (mpox) is among the smallpox viruses. It is similar to smallpox, but it is different from chickenpox,” NPHIL boss educating Liberians on the difference between mpox and chickenpox.

Mpox, becoming a global outbreak again?

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox virus an outbreak in 2022 after countries including Europe reported a high number.

Formerly monkey pox, mpox was renamed in 2022 by the WHO to avoid discrimination since the disease is reportedly found in animals. But it was first declared an outbreak in 2022.

Many Liberians are familiar with chickenpox. The classic symptom of chickenpox is a rash that turns into itchy, fluid-filled blisters that eventually turn into scabs. The rash may first show up on the chest, back, and face, before it spreads to the rest of the body. A person with chickenpox may have as many as 500 blisters. It usually takes about 1 week for all of the blisters to become scabs.

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