Monkeypox Silently Spreading Around the World

Officials are on high alert as monkeypox outbreaks continue to appear in various parts of the world. These new cases are particularly alarming because of the high transmissibility, and amidst the ongoing covid-19 pandemic still crippling many parts of global society. 

The Monkeypox virus is historically localized to western and central regions in Africa, but scientists think they have traced the current spread to an outbreak in 2017. The World Health Organization has recorded 643 cases in more than a dozen countries. The rapid outbreaks suggest the disease may have undetected transmission, allowing it to spread and appear simultaneously in different locations. The 2017 outbreak resulted in clusters of cases in Singapore, Africa, Israel, and the UK.

Other experts disagree with initial findings stating we do not know how long this virus has spread. Initially, it was thought the disease spread from direct contact with an infected animal like a rodent; however, reports now suggest there are sustained transmission events between humans and back to animals. The rapid transmission between humans and animals contributes to the inconclusive of the outbreak’s origins. If outbreaks continue expanding, it is likely to be transferred from humans into other wildlife populations outside infected regions, resulting in additional undetectable transmissions to larger global populations. 

Most historical breakouts of monkeypox ended after a short period of transmission between humans, while recent cases in new places and populations are cause for concern. The former 2017 cluster was prevalent in men and appeared as lesions on genitalia transmitted through sexual contact. The current outbreak appears as lesions on various parts of the body, and the sexual transmissibility of the disease is inconclusive and not fully understood. This virus is similar to smallpox but much less deadly with treatment. Poverty-stricken areas may experience higher rates of complications resulting in deaths due to the lack of accessible resources. 

The US Centers for Disease Control continues to monitor its spread because it is too early to understand its origins or long-term impacts fully. The response may escalate if it evolves into a human-born pathogen spreading directly to the immunocompromised, young, and elderly, where it will cause the most severe damage. Still, many people following the news coverage and disease investigations feel the stress, as daily life has only recently returned to a sense of normalcy.

If the covid-19 pandemic proved one thing, the world is poorly prepared to deal with any global disease outbreak. Humans have few options to prevent widespread outbreaks of highly transmissible diseases effectively. Officials not wanting a repeat of the global pandemic over the last two years are approaching these cautionary cases with the utmost urgency and attempting to instill measures to prevent another global catastrophe.

Canadian Public Health Experts Discuss Pros and Cons of Disclosing COVID Outbreaks at Businesses

An article by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) discussed the ethics and concerns of disclosing the names of businesses where COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred. When an outbreak of infection at a workplace is identified, standard public health practice is to publicly reveal the name of the workplace only if all contacts cannot be traced and a risk to the public is identified. 

In Canada, many larger cities such as Toronto and Hamilton have a reporting policy. In contrast, Ontario has no approach to reporting since the decision is left up to administrators of local health units. The authors of the article talk about the pros and cons of providing information to the public that could be seen as essential in letting a person make an informed decision on whether they want to visit a particular business. 

However, there are also many reasons that businesses may not publicly state that their workplace had an outbreak, the most prominent being people’s right to privacy. The article believes that it is vital to protect workers from stigma, public shaming, and harassment that could be associated with COVID-19. "Moreover, businesses that are outed as having an outbreak of infectious disease may face serious consequences that in turn may lead to loss of employment for workers and downstream effects for local economies," said the article.

An argument for letting employers know about outbreaks is that people are more likely to cooperate with efforts of the public health agencies to control an outbreak by allowing rapid access and intervention to protect workers. Ontario’s stay-at-home order expired on June 2nd, but existing restrictions on gathering, businesses, services, and activities will remain in effect for the time being. This includes limiting outdoor gatherings to up to five people, limiting essential retail capacity to 25%, restricting non-essential retail to do curbside pick-up and delivery, and prohibiting indoor gatherings. 

In the US, there are 28 OSHA-approved State Plans that set standards and enforcement programs and must be at least as effective as OSHA in protecting workers and in preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and death. 

In conclusion, the article in the CMAJ states that more collaboration is needed between public health agencies and workplaces to ensure that such things as paid sick leave and better infection controls come into play.