Things you need to know about mpox (II)

Suspected and confirmed cases of mpox should be promptly transported to medical institutions for isolation and treatment. If their clinical symptoms improve significantly and the lesions have scabbed, they can opt to stay at home until the scabs fall. 

 

Those with mild symptoms can undergo home quarantine when conditions permit, after joint evaluation by medical institutions and disease control agencies.

 

During home quarantine, patients should reside in a single room and avoid immediate contact with family members. Disinfection of contaminated items should be carried out, and patients should avoid going outdoors. They should wear long-sleeved clothes, trousers and surgical masks when they have to go out. 

 

In addition, a designated medical institution should arrange for someone to conduct home visits or phone follow-ups, providing health consultation and medical guidance.

 

 

Close contacts don't need to go to centralized quarantine facilities. Disease control agencies are responsible to promptly identify close contacts based on epidemiological investigations and exposure risk assessments. They, or primary healthcare institutions, should provide guidance for close contacts to conduct self-monitoring for 21 days.

 

Close contacts can live and work as usual during the self- monitoring period, but they should avoid close contact such as having sex with others or donating blood. They should also take their body temperature and conduct symptom surveillance every day. In the event that any symptom appears, they should see a doctor and report suspected contact history.

 

Local disease control agencies or primary healthcare institutions should pay follow-up visits or make phone calls on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days of the self- monitoring period to offer consultation, and they are supposed to take appropriate action in case of any abnormalities.

 

 

Currently, there is no vaccine available on the Chinese mainland to prevent mpox.

 

 

Avoid close contact, especially sexual contact, with individuals showing symptoms similar to mpox. Avoid contact with rodents and primates as well as their potential contaminants in areas experiencing local outbreaks. Enhance personal hand hygiene.

 

 

Outbound travelers should pay attention to the mpox situation at their destination, and avoid contact with individuals showing symptoms resembling mpox, as well as rodents, primates, and other animals. 

 

Individuals coming from countries or regions with reported mpox outbreaks who have a history of suspected contact should practice self- monitoring within 21 days of entry, and avoid close contact with others.

 

If any symptoms resembling mpox, such as fever, rash, or swollen lymph nodes, occur, one should seek medical attention and truthfully report their epidemiological history.

 

 

The mpox virus mainly enters the human body through mucous membranes and damaged skin. At present, the mpox is mainly transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact. By widely disseminating prevention and control knowledge, raising public awareness of protection, and effectively taking preventative measures, the risk of infection can be greatly reduced and the epidemic can be effectively controlled.

 

 

The mpox virus and smallpox virus belong to the genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. There is cross-immunity between the mpox virus and smallpox virus, and vaccination with a smallpox vaccine (also known as cowpox vaccine) provides some protection against mpox. Smallpox has been eradicated globally in the 20th century, and China has ceased the administration of smallpox vaccine since 1980.

 

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which belongs to the family Herpesviridae. The mpox virus and varicella-zoster virus are not congeneric viruses. Chickenpox infection or vaccination against chickenpox does not provide cross-immunity protection against mpox.