Srinagar: With monkeypox cases reported in more than 20 countries, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said there is no need to panic over the virus as it does not spread easily between humans.
“The virus spreads through close skin to skin contact and the risk of spread to the general population is very low,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
“The virus doesn’t spread easily through the air because it requires close contact with an infected person. And the virus is unlikely to become a pandemic like Covid-19,” said Dr Hassan.
He said monkeypox is “by no means new.” “The first human case was detected in 1970 and since then most monkeypox cases have been found in central and south Africa where the disease is endemic. Cases outside Africa have been linked to travel history or imported animals from the endemic area. However, in the current outbreak there are cases that have no history of travel.”
The DAK President said monkeypox is a mild illness and most cases recover on their own without treatment.