Monkeypox and COVID-19 are both dangerous and can lead to the death of the patients. Health experts say that if Monkeypox is not controlled, it can create a widespread outbreak.
(Photo : Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Healthcare professionals prepare to screen people for the coronavirus at a testing site erected by the Maryland National Guard in a parking lot at FedEx Field March 30, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. The guard, in cooperation with the state of Maryland and Prince Georges County, said the site will be able to test about 100 people.
But, CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) explained that monkeypox's posed health threat is quite different from the novel coronavirus.
"This is the first time that we have gathered again in Davos since the 2020 meeting and we find ourselves facing another dangerous disease threat," said Richard Hatchett, CEPI CEO.
He added that the spread of monkeypox is a sign that as the world starts to go back to normal, other infectious diseases are also appearing.
Monkeypox Vs. COVID-19: Here's Their Key Difference
According to CNBC's latest report, although monkeypox and COVID-19 are both global threats, they have one key difference. This is their transmission method.
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Blood samples are drawn from a boy who didn't display any sign of monkeypox despite his all family has been contaminated, while at a quarantine area of the centre of the International medical NGO Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans frontieres - MSF), in Zomea Kaka, in the Lobaya region, in the Central African Republic on October 18, 2018.
Also Read: WHO Records 80 Monkeypox Cases Globally, Confirms Outbreaks in 11 Countries
The novel coronavirus can spread via respiratory transmission. On the other hand, monkeypox is transmitted via close physical contact.
This means that monkeypox is less infectious compared to COVID-19. CEPI's CEO explained that although the skin disease is not that contagious, it still shows that old health threats can re-appear even in the modern world.
As of writing, health authorities stated that the world is still far from a monkeypox outbreak. Compared to COVID-19, monkeypox already has ready-for-use vaccines.
This is another factor why experts are not that alarmed when it comes to serious monkeypox outbreaks.
Some People are Safe from Monkeypox
The New York Times reported that certain individuals are safe from monkeypox infections. These are specifically older adults who have already received their smallpox vaccine shots.
Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, a scientific director of the National Institute on Aging, explained that even if the smallpox vaccines were taken decades ago, they still offer a high level of antibodies.
Meanwhile, CDC confirmed the first U.S. monkeypox case.
On the other hand, a new study revealed that 50% of people are at risk of the most infectious parasite in the world.
For more news updates about monkeypox and other dangerous diseases, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: Monkeypox Concerns Europe Health Officials; Experts Now Check if Human Intercourse Also Spreads the Virus
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Written by: Griffin Davis
