- Monkeypox occurrences in Europe and the United States have been mild; with some being so modest that they have been confused for other sexually transmitted viruses.
- The monkeypox virus, which has now been diagnosed in hundreds of people in 26 countries.
- It may have been silently spreading for years until its stunning global debut.
Read More: Monkeypox in the United States went unnoticed
Read More: Monkeypox facts in numbers that you would want to know
Infectious disease doctors and genetic lab scientists are scrambling for answers as to why a virus that has been discovered in West Africa for half a century; and rarely spreads from person to person made such a spectacular and alarming appearance in the last month. During a press conference on Wednesday, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the World Health Organization’s technical lead for monkeypox, said, “There may have been undiscovered transmission for a while.” “What we don’t know is how long it could have taken. We’re not sure if it’ll be weeks, months, or perhaps a couple of years.”