(WXYZ) — There could be another international health crisis on the horizon. The World Health Organization is meeting next week to decide if a global outbreak of monkeypox constitutes a public health emergency.
This comes as two probable cases of the disease were identified in San Diego, California.
So far, we know of more than 1,600 monkeypox infections around the world. That’s enough to raise concerns from the World Health Organization on whether the outbreak poses a real global risk.
The two suspected cases in San Diego involve people who do not know each other. However, they both had recently travelled internationally. Both are doing well and are not hospitalized.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing samples from the patients to confirm that they indeed have the monkeypox virus. And if so, these will be the first cases for that region of California.
But there have been other infections in the United States. The first monkeypox diagnosis was reported last month in Massachusetts. Since then, the CDC has confirmed 84 cases in 18 states and the District of Columbia. No cases have been identified in Michigan.
For now, Europe remains the epicenter of the outbreak with 85% of the cases. The head of the World Health Organization is convening next week’s meeting to decide whether to declare a global health emergency. Currently, only two diseases have that status: Polio and COVID-19.
Monkeypox is a rare virus that is prevalent in parts of Africa. But health experts are mystified as to how it has spread to so many other countries and among people who have not traveled to Africa.
Risk factors include sustained skin-to-skin contact with a person who has monkeypox or close contact with contaminated clothing or bed linens. Many of the confirmed cases have involved gay and bisexual men.
You're also at risk if you have traveled to countries where monkeypox cases have been reported. No deaths have occurred during the current outbreak.
As far as the symptoms, the most common is an unexplained rash or lesion. Other symptoms include a fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and muscle aches.
Though the CDC says the overall risk to the public is low, it does recommend that you contact your health provider if you are experiencing these symptoms and if you meet any of the criteria that put you at risk for the monkeypox virus.
