Kamala Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, is in the news, but for the wrong reason.
Social media has been flooded with viral posts claiming that the Vice Presidential candidate of the Democrats has tested positive for Mpox.
Did Tim Walz Test Positive For Mpox?
However, this is fake news since there has been no official confirmation about the Minnesota Governor having Mpox.
Mpox, which was earlier known as Monkeypox, was initially found in the DRC or Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, this time the disease has also spread to neighboring countries, which has alarmed health officials, and the WHO has declared it a global health emergency.
Mpox Outbreak in Africa
According to figures released by the WHO, there are 14,000 active cases of Mpox in Africa alone, with 90% of the cases in Congo. The DRC has been in a state of civil war, and there are more than 30 armed groups fighting the Congolese army to gain control of the mineral-rich country.
A large population has been displaced by the fighting and is living in camps with abysmal civic conditions, making it a perfect breeding ground for epidemics.
According to figures released by the U.N. refugee agency, there are seven million people who have been displaced by the war in the country. Of these, 5.5 million are in the country’s east. Congo has the largest displacement camp population in Africa, and one of the largest in the world.
The virus has been detected in more than 13 African countries, and cases have also been reported in far-off countries like Sweden and Pakistan. With the virus having spread to so many countries, the WHO has elevated the level of emergency to a global scale and has advised all countries to take precautionary measures.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified in 1958 when there was an outbreak of a pox-like disease in monkeys. Most of the known cases of the disease in humans were in the populations of Central and West Africa. There was an epidemic in 2022 when it was revealed that the virus spread due to sexual contact, and that year there were outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world. Many of these countries had never reported any instance of Mpox.
What Is Mpox?
Mpox is a zoonotic or animal-borne virus that is then transmitted to humans. It belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but with milder symptoms. The common symptoms include fever, chills, and body aches. In more serious cases, pustules can develop on the face, hands, and the genitals.
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