Tag Archives: Monkeypox

Can AstraZeneca Vaccine Give You Monkeypox?!

Can the AstraZeneca vaccine give you monkeypox? Is it responsible for the current monkeypox outbreak?

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : AstraZeneca Vaccine Can Give You Monkeypox!

In recent weeks, people have sharing photos of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine leaflet, claiming that it is evidence that the AstraZeneca vaccine is responsible for the current monkeypox outbreak.

They are highlighting the portion of the vaccine leaflet that says that it contains a “Recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein.”

They believe that it is this virus that causes monkeypox, and that the AstraZeneca vaccine is responsible for spreading monkeypox to vaccinated people.

Here are some of the comments that accompany these viral posts :

Who is surprised that after millions of people have been injected with genetically modified chimp virus, there is now an outbreak of monkeypox?

“The AstraZeneca vaccine uses a chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine vector” Makes you wonder doesn’t it.🤔🤔🤔🤔

More monkey business #AstraZeneca #monkeypox

Truth : AstraZeneca Vaccine Cannot Give You Monkeypox!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Adenovirus Used In AstraZeneca Vaccine Cannot Replicate

The AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, uses a chimpanzee adenovirus to “teach” some of our cells to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins to trigger an immune response.

The chimpanzee adenovirus used in the vaccine – ChAdOx1 – had already been modified from the original ChAd virus serotype Y25 to prevent replication. Therefore, the virus cannot replicate, and is incapable of producing any disease in human beings.

Fact #2 : Monkeypox Is Not Caused By Chimpanzee Adenovirus

Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which is completely different from the chimpanzee adenovirus.

The monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus from the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family. It is closely related to the smallpox virus (variola).

The chimpanzee adenovirus is also a double-stranded DNA virus, but it is from the Mastadenovirus genus in the Adenoviridae family. It is similar to the adenoviruses that cause the common flu in human beings.

These two viruses are as different as cats and dogs. Cats and dogs may be mammals, but as you can tell – they are quite different animals!

Fact #3 : Monkeypox Is A Misnomer

Monkeypox was first identified and named in 1958, when it was identified in laboratory monkeys in Copenhagen, Denmark.

However, the name monkeypox is a misnomer, as it is not very common in monkeys. Neither did it originate in monkeys, nor does it spread only through monkeys.

It is known to spread through prairie dogs, dormice, squirrels, and non-human primates. It may possibly also spread through rabbits, rats and mice.

Fact #4 : Chimpanzees Are Not Monkeys

Not that it matters, but you should know that chimpanzees and monkeys are of different species.

Chimpanzees and monkeys are both primates, but their last common ancestor dates back some 30 million years ago.

Monkeys are simians; while chimpanzees are great apes, and are genetically closest to human beings. .

Fact #5 : Current Monkeypox Outbreak Only Started In May 2022

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in December 2020, and has been administered globally to billions of people since then.

If it can cause monkeypox, it would have resulted in massive monkeypox outbreaks within weeks, if not days, of being administered.

Yet the current monkeypox outbreak only started in May 2022 – almost 18 months after the AstraZeneca vaccine was introduced.

In other words – even the temporal timeline for this ridiculous claim is out of whack!

Fact #6 : Monkeypox Started Infecting People In 1970

The first human monkeypox infections were reported in 1970.

As you can tell – that’s almost 50 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 51 years before the AstraZeneca vaccine was introduced.

Fact #7 : Monkeypox Cases Were Increasing Before COVID-19

At first, monkeypox infections in humans were relatively few – about 400 cases from 1970 to 1986, and they were mostly limited to Central and Weest Africa.

However, it started becoming more common, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014. There were also several small outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019).

These cases all happened long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and certainly long before AstraZeneca and Oxford developed their Vaxzevria vaccine against COVID-19!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Is US Sending Infected Birds To Spread Monkeypox?!

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Are the US and Western countries sending infected birds to spread monkeypox to China and other Asian countries?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Is Sending Infected Birds To Spread Monkeypox!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) netizens are now claiming that the US and Western countries are sending infected birds to spread monkeypox to China and other Asian countries.

Hey, guys. No matter where you are, if you see a bird that can’t fly, can’t walk or struggle on the ground, you should never catch it, for fear of monkeypox infection. The relevant community has informed you, please pay attention to it. Remember!

The United States and Western countries used the birds to carry take the Monkeypox virus to spread to the Asian region!

My sister sent it from Germany and asked me to inform family and friends immediately. Have relatives and friends on the notice, do not because of compassion, get infected unknowingly.

好友轉來告知：
各位。不管在那，看見不能飛，不能走，在地上掙扎的鳥，千萬不能抓，怕是猴痘傳染，有關社區己通知，望大家注意。切記！

以上美國和西方國家對亞洲地區通過鳥類可以帶猴痘病毒傳染到亞洲地區！

我妹妹從德國傳來的，要我立刻通知親友。有親友就通知一下，別因為心慈悲染痘害人。
🙏😞

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Truth : No One Is Sending Infected Birds To Spread Monkeypox!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and shared by pro-CCP netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The West Is Not Sending Infected Birds To Spread Monkeypox

Just like their insects attack claim, the wumao are falsely blaming the West for sending birds to spread monkeypox.

This is utter nonsense, and nothing more than Chinese propaganda. It is also not very believable propaganda at that, and I will show you why.

Fact #2 : Monkeypox Not Known To Infect Birds

Birds have, so far, not been found to be infected with the monkeypox virus, or any other orthopoxviruses. So it would be absurd for anyone to suggest birds being used as a vector for spreading monkeypox.

The monkeypox virus mostly infects mammals like apes, monkeys, squirrels, shrews, chinchillas, anteaters, hedgehogs, prairie dogs… and yes, human beings. But not birds.

Fact #3 : Most Monkeypox Cases Are In The West!

It is absurd to claim that the West is intentionally spreading monkeypox to China and other Asian countries.

If they were, well, they are doing a piss-poor job of it, because nine of the top 10 countries with monkeypox cases are Western countries!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Spain	3,536	62	3,598
United States	2,891	–	2,891
Germany	2,268	–	2,268
United Kingdom	2,208	–	2,208
France	1,567	–	1,567
Canada	681	45	726
Netherlands	712	–	712
Brazil	696	6	702
Portugal	588	–	588
Italy	407	–	407

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Fact #4 : Current Outbreak Spreading Human-to-Human

In the 2022 monkeypox outbreak, the disease is being spread from human-to-human, not from birds to humans.

The global spread occurs through air travel – infected people travelling overseas, and infecting other people at those destinations.

Many of the cases have also been traced to men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.

This does not mean that monkeypox is a sexually-transmitted disease (STD). It is not spread through sexual activities, but through skin-to-skin contact between an infected person and other people.

Fact #5 : It Is Difficult To Train Birds

While pigeons can be trained to carry messages between two points, it is not easy to train them.

For one thing – you need to repeatedly transport the pigeons and feed them at both the origin location, and the destination, until they can fly between the two locations independently.

Only pigeons have been trained reliably this way. Other birds lack the pigeon’s ability to navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field (magnetoreception), or its ease of training.

Even if the US and other Western countries want to use pigeons to infect China and other Asian countries with monkeypox, they would need to repeatedly bring the pigeons over to the target countries and back. Do you think such activity would not catch the attention of the authorities at those countries?

Without such training, the birds will simply fly wherever they want to, and not where the Americans / Westerners want them to.

It would be much easier to just fly someone infected with monkeypox to China, and give everyone there a big hug…. which is why this fake story is so stupid!

Fact #6 : Most Birds Cannot Fly Vast Distances

The bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) holds the world’s record for flying over 12,000 kilometres for 11 days straight without stopping. However, most birds just don’t fly very far.

Even homing pigeons can only fly for about 1,200 km a day, which is pretty darn far… until you realise that the distance between the US and China is some 11,640 kilometres!

Only the bar-tailed godwit is capable of making that flight. The homing pigeon can only travel 10% of the way across the mighty Pacific Ocean.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Chinese Propaganda

This is really nothing more than yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false… at every instance. So please watch out for such false claims.

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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WHO Declares Monkeypox A Global Emergency With 16K Cases!

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WHO just declared the monkeypox outbreak as a global emergency, after over 16,000 cases were reported in 75 countries!

Here is what you need to know…

WHO Declares Monkeypox A Global Emergency With 16K Cases!

On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.

The Emergency Committee decided that the monkeypox outbreak did not represent a global emergency at that meeting. At that time, there were just over 3,000 cases of monkeypox in 47 countries.

However, Dr. Tedros convened another emergency committee meeting on Thursday, July 21, 2022, after the outbreak expanded to over 16,000 cases in 75 countries.

Even though the Emergency Committee once again was unable to reach a consensus, Dr. Tedros nevertheless declared that the monkeypox outbreak was officially a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), based on these reasons :

The information showed that the monkeypox virus has spread rapidly to many countries that have not seen it before.
The three criteria for declaring a PHEIC under the International Health Regulations have been met.
The advice of the Emergency Committee, which did not reach a consensus.
The scientific principles, evidence and other relevant information are currently insufficient and leave us with many unknowns.
The risk to human health, international spread, and potential for interference with international traffic.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Monkeypox Global Emergency : WHO Assessment + Recommendations

In his July 23, 2022 press conference, Dr. Tedros gave the WHO’s assessment of the monkeypox global emergency :

The risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region where the risk is high.
There is also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with International traffic remains low for the moment.
The monkeypox outbreak has spread rapidly around the world through new modes of transmission, which we understand too little.

WHO has issued an extensive list of Temporary Recommendations for four groups of countries :

Countries that have not yet reported a case of monkeypox, or have not reported a case for more than 21 days.
Countries with recently-imported cases of monkeypox and that are experiencing human-to-human transmission.
Countries with transmission of monkeypox from animals to humans.
Countries with manufacturing capacity for vaccines and therapeutics.

Although Dr. Tedros has declared monkeypox to be a global emergency, right now – this outbreak is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.

Therefore, it is essential that countries work closely with communities to offer effective information and services to protect the health, human rights and dignity of the affected community.

He warned that stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus, and called on civil society organisations to help WHO fight sigma and discrimination that may result from this monkeypox global outbreak.

With the current tools we have at hand, the world can stop transmission and bring the monkeypox outbreak under control.

Over 16,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 75 Countries!

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..

However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 75 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 16,000 cases!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Spain	3,536	62	3,598
United States	2,891	–	2,891
Germany	2,268	–	2,268
United Kingdom	2,208	–	2,208
France	1,567	–	1,567
Canada	681	45	726
Netherlands	712	–	712
Brazil	696	6	702
Portugal	588	–	588
Italy	407	–	407
Belgium	311	1	312
Switzerland	229	–	229
Ghana	19	159	178
Peru	157	8	165
Israel	105	–	105
Austria	99	–	99
Sweden	77	–	77
Ireland	69	–	69
Mexico	52	–	52
Denmark	51	–	51
Norway	46	–	46
Australia	42	–	42
Chile	39	1	40
Poland	40	–	40
Hungary	33	–	33
Slovenia	27	–	27
Greece	20	–	20
Romania	19	–	19
Argentina	18	–	18
Malta	17	–	17
Czech Republic	15	–	15
Luxembourg	14	–	14
Finland	13	–	13
Puerto Rico	11	2	13
UAE	13	–	13
Colombia	10	–	10
Iceland	9	–	9
Croatia	8	–	8
Singapore	6	–	6
Gibraltar	6	–	6
Serbia	5	–	5
Estonia	4	–	4
Lebanon	4	–	4
India	3	1	4
Somalia	–	4	4
Bulgaria	3	–	3
Dominican Rep.	3	–	3
Latvia	3	–	3
Slovakia	3	–	3
South Africa	3	–	3
Ecuador	2	–	2
Morocco	1	1	2
New Zealand	2	–	2
Saudi Arabia	2	–	2
Taiwan	2	–	2
Andorra	1	–	1
Bahamas	1	–	1
Barbados	1	–	1
Bermuda	1	–	1
Bosnia Herzegovina	1	–	1
Costa Rica	1	–	1
Georgia	1	–	1
Jamaica	1	–	1
Martinique	1	–	1
Monaco	1	–	1
New Caladonia	1	–	1
Panama	1	–	1
Qatar	1	–	1
Russia	1	–	1
South Korea	1	–	1
Thailand	1	–	1
Turkey	1	–	1
Uruguay	–	1	1
Venezuela	1	–	1
Zambia	–	1	1
TOTAL	17,186	292	17,478

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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mRNA Vaccines Cause Invasion Of Killer Lymphocytes?!

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Do mRNA vaccines cause killer lymphocytes to attack our healthy cells, destroying our immune system?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : mRNA Vaccines Cause Invasion Of Killer Lymphocytes!

People are excitedly sharing this post on WhatsApp and on social media, claiming that mRNA vaccines cause killer lymphocytes to destroy our immune system.

It claims that this is why people vaccinated against COVID-19 are suffering from shingles, tuberculosis, cancer, monkeypox, etc.

It’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Shingles, TB will break out very soon, all over everywhere… It is caused by our dysfunctional immune system that is caused by killer lymphocytes self attack….. because the target is all the spiked proteins…

Our killer lymphocytes, is protecting us by killing viruses. Instead, the killer lymphocytes look for all the spiked proteins that leak into all our organs and attack our own cells. Why attack our own healthy cells. Because Spiked Proteins are all spiked to our healthy cells in all the organs ..The spiked leak into our organs!

This is the work of the damn mRNA spiked proteins… All mRNA based vaccine will harm our immune system this way….. This is how all the posum hereditary diseases will break out…. Shingles, TB, Cancer, Monkey Pox and many other will surface……. as the immune system is gone…

The more times the booster shots that boost only more antibodies for a few weeks only, the more the immune system die off… Some unfortunates die after one or two vaccine shots. So think carefully, you can go for 4 th and 5th…..booster… at you own very life expense.

Everytime you get booster shots, your antibodies will go up a little more, but the immune system will be gone…. and the so vaccinated sure to suffer…with mRNA vaccine….

YES, the statistic show the short and immediate fatal effects per million vaccinated, is still small. After one year, two year, five year and longer…. All the hereditary posum diseases will appear.

There are untold side effects as more booster shots are administered….. and more spiked proteins will leak more and more to our healthy organ cells….

Our killer lymphocytes will go after the spiked protein and cause all the self-destruction… Soon the killer lymphocytes will be exhausted and our immune system is impaired and will be gone…

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Truth : mRNA Vaccines Do NOT Cause Killer Lymphocytes To Destroy Immune System!

This appears to be yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) as part of their anti-mRNA vaccine campaign.

Here are the reasons why this is just more Chinese wumao bullshit…

Fact #1 : All COVID-19 Vaccines Target The Spike Protein

First, it is important that you understand that all COVID-19 vaccines focus on the spike protein for two main reasons :

It is unique to the SARS-CoV-2 virus
It is what the virus uses to attach to our cells, and enter them.

Antibodies that the vaccines “create” will therefore bind to the spike proteins, and physically block the COVID-19 virus from attaching to our cells.

All approved COVID-19 vaccines target the spike protein for this very reason, even inactivated virus vaccines like the Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccine.

Fact #2 : mRNA Vaccines Do Not Leak Spike Proteins

In an effort to promote Chinese inactivated virus vaccines, China has been conducting a prolonged and extensive disinformation campaign about mRNA vaccines through their 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

One of the fake stories they have been spreading is how mRNA vaccines create spike proteins that “leak” or go into our organs, or all over our bodies.

The truth is the spike proteins created by the mRNA vaccines do not leak anywhere. The spike proteins are produced by a limited number of cells that received those mRNA instructions, and they are displayed on the cell surface for our immune system to see.

Once the immune system sees those spike proteins on the cell surfaces, it recognises them as “foreign”, and produces antibodies to bind to those spike proteins.

These spike proteins remain on the cell surface. Eventually, our body’s phagocytes will consume these cells, because they have been identified as “foreign”. So there are none to float around like balloons…

Fact #4 : mRNA Vaccines Do Not Harm Our Immune System

mRNA vaccines do not harm our immune system. Despite what the Chinese wumao keep saying, mRNA vaccines work just like other vaccines.

All COVID-19 vaccines – mRNA or otherwise – are like training camps for our immune system. They mimic the SARS-CoV-2 virus, like “fake enemy soldiers”.

By pretending to be the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the vaccines let your own immune system learn to identify the real virus, and create antibodies to block it.

I want to be very clear – all COVID-19 vaccines – mRNA or otherwise – do not harm your immune system. They only enhance your immune system.

Fact #5 : Vaccines Do Not Stay In Our Body

Vaccines – mRNA or otherwise – do not stay in our body. If they did, we would have lifelong immunity, and we wouldn’t need booster doses!

Most of the vaccines spike proteins vaccine will be gone within a matter of days, although some may last for up to a few weeks. This is part of how vaccines teach your immune system to identify the enemy and destroy it.

Fact #6 : Booster Doses Are Refresher Classes For Your Immune System

Unfortunately, antibody levels will naturally drop over time, which is why we need booster doses to trigger our immune system to produce more antibodies.

Booster doses work like refresher classes in college. Every time you receive a booster dose, it reminds your immune system that the virus is still a threat.

This kickstarts the production of antibodies, boosting your protection against COVID-19.

Fact #7 : Vaccines Target Specific Diseases

All vaccines are designed to target a specific disease. They cannot prevent other diseases.

COVID-19 vaccines can only help your immune system fight off the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They cannot prevent shingles, tuberculosis, cancer or monkeypox.

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 means you are protected from severe disease and deaths from COVID-19, not from all the ills in this world.

Fact #8 : mRNA Vaccines Do Not Cause Shingles, TB, Cancer Or Monkeypox

Just to be very clear – COVID-19 vaccines based on mRNA technology do not cause shingles, tuberculosis, cancer or monkeypox.

Fact #9 : Shingles, Tuberculosis Or Monkeypox Are Not Hereditary

Shingles, tuberculosis and monkeypox are not hereditary diseases. You are not born with these diseases.

Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by a previous chickenpox infection from the varicella zoster virus (VZV). People vaccinated against chickenpox will not suffer from shingles.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can be prevented by getting the BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) vaccine.

Monkeypox is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus. It can be prevented using the smallpox vaccine.

Fact #10 : China Is Developing mRNA Vaccines Too

This is for those who keep getting anti-mRNA posts like these from pro-CCP netizens.

Even though the Chinese wumao keeps disparaging mRNA vaccines, China has actually been trying to develop its own mRNA vaccine called ARCoVax.

Unfortunately, it has not been able to clear Phase 3 trials, which is why China is stuck using Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines, which have poor efficacy.

The truth is – mRNA vaccines are the future, allowing for very specific targeting of certain proteins, as opposed to a shotgun approach. They also allow for faster adaptation to changes in the proteins.

As Zhuang Shilihe, a Guangzhou-based immunological expert told Global Times, “grasping mRNA technology is very important for China, not only to control the COVID pandemic but as treatment in cancer and rare diseases“.

This is partly why China was pushing hard for a WTO patent waiver on vaccines. They need to get access to mRNA technology used by Pfizer and Moderna to improve their own mRNA vaccines.

You can be certain that when China finally succeeds in producing its own mRNA vaccines, the wumao propaganda machine will change its tune.

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

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WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

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The WHO has convened an emergency meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that has spread to 56 countries!

Here is what you need to know…

WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.

Chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele and Dr. Nicola Low, this emergency WHO meeting on monkeypox is only open to members and advisors of the Emergency Committee.

The findings of this emergency meeting would be conveyed to the Director-General of WHO, on whether the outbreak should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern, and also on potential recommendations on how to address it.

This meeting comes as an NGO called World Health Network (unrelated to WHO) issued a press release describing the current monkeypox outbreak as a “pandemic”, urging “immediate and effective action” from country and global health authorities.

This led to a bit of confusion, as their names and acronyms were similar (WHO vs WHN). To be clear, WHO has not declared a monkeypox pandemic.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Over 4,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 56 Countries!

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..

However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 56 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 4,000 cases!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Spain	918	100	1,018
United Kingdom	793	–	793
Germany	676	–	676
France	330	–	330
Portugal	328	–	328
Canada	223	45	268
United States	173	–	173
Netherlands	167	–	167
Italy	85	–	85
Belgium	77	1	78
Switzerland	52	–	52
Ireland	28	–	28
Ghana	18	–	18
Brazil	11	6	17
Israel	16	–	16
Australia	13	–	13
Denmark	13	–	13
Sweden	13	–	13
UAE	13	–	13
Austria	12	–	12
Poland	12	–	12
Mexico	9	–	9
Slovenia	9	–	9
Hungary	7	–	7
Czech Republic	6	–	6
Uganda	–	6	6
Romania	5	–	5
Argentina	4	–	4
Finland	4	–	4
Malta	4	–	4
Norway	4	–	4
Somalia	–	4	4
Chile	3	–	3
Colombia	3	–	3
Greece	3	–	3
Iceland	3	–	3
Bulgaria	2	–	2
Latvia	2	–	2
Morocco	1	1	2
Bahamas	–	1	1
Cayman Islands	–	1	1
Fiji	–	1	1
Georgia	1	–	1
Gibraltar	1	–	1
Haiti	–	1	1
Libya	–	1	1
Lebanon	1	–	1
Luxembourg	1	–	1
Serbia	1	–	1
Singapore	1	–	1
South Africa	1	–	1
South Korea	1	–	1
Uruguay	–	1	1
Venezuela	1	–	1
Zambia	–	1	1
TOTAL	4,049	170	4,219

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Over 560 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 25 Countries!

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Over 560 monkeypox cases have now been confirmed in at least 25 countries outside of Africa!

Find out if the monkeypox outbreak could become a new pandemic we have to worry about!

Over 560 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 25 Countries!

People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally. although the WHO has said that it is unlikely to become a pandemic like COVID-19.

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..

However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 25 countries outside of Africa, with over 560 cases!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
United Kingdom	179	–	179
Spain	120	–	120
Portugal	96	–	96
Canada	26	37	63
Germany	33	–	33
Netherlands	26	–	26
France	17	–	17
United States	15	–	15
Italy	14	–	14
Belgium	9	–	9
Czech Republic	5	–	5
Switzerland	4	–	4
UAE	4	–	4
Sweden	3	–	3
Ireland	2	1	3
Argentina	2	–	2
Australia	2	–	2
Denmark	2	–	2
Israel	2	–	2
Slovenia	2	–	2
Austria	1	–	1
Finland	1	–	1
Malta	1	–	1
Mexico	1	–	1
Thailand	1	–	1
TOTAL	568	56	617

Monkeypox Cases May Increase, But Unlikely To Become Pandemic

On 30 May 2022, the World Health Organisation’s top monkeypox expert, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, gave a public briefing on the 2022 monkeypox outbreak.

Here is a summary of the key points Dr. Lewis shared in that public session :

She does not expect the monkeypox outbreak to turn into another pandemic like COVID-19.
There are still many unknowns about this outbreak, including how exactly it is spreading.
The suspension of mass smallpox immunisation decades ago may have resulted in increased transmission.
Vast majority of current cases seen in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men.
There is a higher proportion of people with fewer visible lesions that are more concentrated in the genital region, and sometimes nearly impossible to see. This is a danger because they are infectious even though their lesions are not visible.
There is a window of opportunity to shut down the outbreak so it does not become endemic in new areas.

Fortunately, the 2022 monkeypox outbreak appears to be of the less virulent West African strain, because there is no proven treatment.

The smallpox vaccine can offer up to 85% protection against monkeypox, and certain antiviral treatments can be attempted.

But otherwise – hospitals can only offer supportive treatment as the patient isolates for 2-4 weeks until the disease resolves.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Monkeypox primarily spreads through close contact, but can spread through respiratory droplets. However, it is far less contagious and is not airborne like COVID-19.

Infected people are also not considered contagious until they start showing symptoms, which limits transmission. This is unlike COVID-19 which is often spread by people who are asymptomatic.

The best way to describe its ability to infect people would be to understand its R0 (Reproduction Number, pronounced as R naught) – how many people an infected person is expected to pass the disease along to.

The ancestral COVID-19 virus has an R0 of between 2 to 3, which increased to 8 with the Omicron variant. That’s really contagious – every infected person will (on average) transmit the virus to 8 other people.

On the other hand, past outbreaks of monkeypox had an R0 of less than one. That means even though there may be clusters of several cases, even outbreaks, the cases die out on their own.

Virus	R0
Measles	12 to 18
Omicron COVID-19	8
Smallpox	5 to 7
Ancestral COVID-19	2 to 3
H1N1 (2009)	1.5 to 2.5
Monkeypox	<1

Monkeypox fortunately does not spread very efficiently between humans. Generally, you need to have skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or come into contact with his/her bodily fluids, to get infected.

The people most at risk would be close contacts of the infected person, like family members or healthcare workers taking care of them.

Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. It’s quite different from COVID in that sense.
– Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Infectious Disease Epidemiologist

It’s not as highly transmissible as something like smallpox, or measles, or certainly not Covid. It does not spread easily from person to person, the risk to the general public is low.
– Anne Rimoin, infectious disease epidemiologist at University of California.

That is why it is very unlikely to become a pandemic, although if it spreads to susceptible rodent populations, it could become endemic in those areas.

There is also the fact that the monkeypox is so closely related to the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine offers 85% protection against monkeypox infections.

In fact, one smallpox vaccine – JYNNEOS – was approved in the United States to serve as protection against monkeypox. Even though there is no public access to this vaccine, that can quickly change.

Several countries, including the United States, have strategic reserves of smallpox vaccines, which can be deployed in a monkeypox outbreak.

Countries have also started purchasing smallpox vaccines :

19 May 2022 : Spain’s Ministry of Health announced that it was in the process of purchasing thousands of doses of smallpox vaccines
24 May 2022 : CDC announced that the US is in the process of releasing some JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine doses for people who are “high risk”.
25 May 2022 : the German government announced that it was buying 40,000 doses of the JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic.
26 May 2022 : the UK Health Security Agency announced that it purchased 20,000 doses of the JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Is Monkeypox Outbreak From Lab Strain Made In Ukraine?!

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Is the current monkeypox outbreak from a lab strain made in Ukraine?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Monkeypox Outbreak Is From Lab Strain Made In Ukraine!

People are sharing tweets by a Dr. Benjamin Braddock who claimed that the 2022 monkeypox outbreak is from a “third lab strain” made by the US in Ukraine!

ECDC source tells me that the preliminary analysis of monkeypox indicates that it is “a third lab strain with unknown characteristics” and that there is chatter about this being somehow related to Moscow’s charges against U.S. biological activities in Ukraine.

A Russian-Chinese joint task force has been tasked with establishing: where it originated, whether it is detectable in research conducted by the US in Ukraine, Georgia; whether there is a link to biological research conducted by the US on smallpox in Ukraine.

Main ECDC focus right now is on buying up as much of BN’s vaccine as possible. “They’re buying before they know whether it is even effective against this strain of monkeypox. I wouldn’t be surprised if they skipped testing it’s efficacy altogether.”

Truth : Monkeypox Outbreak Is Not From Lab Strain Made In Ukraine!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being created and shared by people on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Is No Third Lab Strain

The monkeypox virus has two clades, based on where they were commonly found – Congo Basin (Central Africa), and West Africa.

There is no such thing as a third lab strain or species or clade of the monkeypox virus.

Fact #2 : Strain Is A Subset Of Species

While it is impossible to prove what does not exist (Bertrand Russell’s teapot analogy), the claim that there is “a third lab strain” shows that the person creating the fake news does not know the difference between strain, species and clade.

In virology, a clade is technically a group of species that arose from a common ancestor, of which each species may give rise to different strains (sub-species).

Credit : Galaxy Advanced Microbial Diagnostics

If there is a new strain, it would not have been called “a third lab strain”. It would have just been called a new strain.

The introduction of the word “third” implies that the fake news creator believes that clade = strain, which is completely false.

Obviously, the fake news creator does not know much about virology, and is very unlikely to be working at the ECDC.

Fact #3 : 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak From West African Clade

Neither the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC) or other health authorities like the US CDC has announced the discovery of a new strain or clade of the monkeypox virus.

In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated on 21 May 2022, that all cases in the 2022 monkeypox outbreaks have been confirmed to involve the “West African clade“.

Fact #4 : No Evidence Current Virus Was Lab Made

Again, it is impossible to prove what does not exist – that the current monkeypox virus was not made in the lab. However, all the evidence points to a natural source of this virus.

Not only is the 2022 monkeypox virus is from an existing clade, genomic sequencing also indicated that this current virus was a close match of the monkeypox virus that were “exported” from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019.

In other words – all of the evidence so far point us to a natural variant of an existing monkeypox virus that had already caused several outbreaks in the past.

Fact #5 : US Does Not Have Biological Labs In Ukraine

Braddock is repeating the oft-debunked false claim that the US has biological labs in Ukraine.

The truth is – they are Ukrainian biological laboratories, some of which receive financial and other support from the US, the European Union and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This is not unique to Ukraine – biological labs in many countries receive similar support from the US, EU and the WHO.

Fact #6 : US Sponsored Biological Threat Reduction In Ukraine

US sponsorship of biological labs in former Soviet Union countries like Ukraine go back decades, and is centred around the Biological Threat Reduction Program.

As the name implies, the program aims to train and equip the partner nation to detect and prevent the threat of infectious diseases, whether they are deliberate, accidental or natural.

The program aims to counter biological threats in a partner country, at the source, before the threat can reach the homeland of impact U.S. Armed Forces or allies.

The program also prevents proliferation by cooperating with partner countries to eliminate their biological weapons, associated materials, and production facilities.

Fact #7 : Biological Labs Are Essential To All Countries

Biological labs do not conduct biological warfare research, because that is banned in 183 countries under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).

Instead, they are on the forefront of a country’s biosecurity defences, and are absolutely essential in developing tests and cures (including vaccines) for new and emerging diseases, like the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

In fact, both Russia and China have a number of biological labs, including the famous Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is located right at the epicentre of the first COVID-19 outbreak.

It is therefore misleading for anyone to demonise biological labs. After all, they are ESSENTIAL to every country’s national security, including their own.

Fact #8 : There Is No Russian-Chinese Task Force

Braddock claimed that a Russian-Chinese task force was formed to find out where the monkeypox outbreaks originated, or whether it is “detectable in research conducted by the US in Ukraine / Georgia”.

Again, it is impossible to prove what does not exist, but we know that this is a false claim because :

Braddock offered no evidence for the formation of such a Russian-Chinese task force.
The 2022 monkeypox outbreak did not affect either Russia or China, so they have no access to any samples.
The US did not conduct any biological research in Ukraine or Georgia.
Smallpox is closely related to monkeypox, but is a completely different virus.

Fact #9 : JYNNEOS Was Tested Against Monkeypox

The monkeypox and smallpox viruses are so closely related that the smallpox vaccine has been used for years to protect against monkeypox and other orthopoxviruses.

The earlier ACAM2000 smallpox vaccine has been largely replaced by the JYNNEOS vaccine (also called Imvamune / Imvanex), which was proven to be at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

In fact, it was licensed in 2019 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the prevention of both smallpox and monkeypox.

And again, the monkeypox virus causing the 2022 outbreak is a close match of the Western Africa clade monkeypox virus that caused the 2018 and 2019 outbreaks.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Monkeypox Outbreak In 20 Countries : Is It A New Pandemic?

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The Monkeypox outbreak has been confirmed in at least 20 countries outside of Africa!

Find out what Monkeypox is all about, and whether it is a new pandemic we have to worry about!

Monkeypox Outbreak : Is It A Pandemic Risk?

People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally.

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

However, it became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014.

There were also several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019), but nothing matched the latest 2022 outbreak.

As of 25 May 2022, there were 230 confirmed cases in at least 20 countries outside of Africa, and suspected cases in two other countries.

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Argentina	–	1	1
Australia	2	–	2
Austria	1	–	1
Belgium	6	1	7
Canada	15	1	16
Czech Republic	1	–	1
Denmark	2	–	2
Finland	1	–	1
France	5	–	5
Germany	5	–	5
Israel	1	–	1
Italy	6	2	8
Morocco	–	3	3
Netherlands	6	–	6
Portugal	49	–	49
Slovenia	1	–	1
Spain	51	43	94
Sweden	1	–	1
Switzerland	2	–	2
UAE	1	–	1
United Kingdom	71	–	71
United States	2	6	8
TOTAL	230	56	286

Monkeypox Outbreak : More Deadly, Unlikely To Cause A Pandemic

Monkeypox is more deadly than COVID-19, with mortality as high as 10% depending on the strain :

West African strain : 1% to 3%
Central African strain : 10%

Fortunately, the 2022 monkeypox outbreak appears to be of the less virulent West African strain, because there is no proven treatment.

The smallpox vaccine can offer up to 85% protection against monkeypox, and certain antiviral treatments can be attempted.

But otherwise – hospitals can only offer supportive treatment as the patient isolates for 2-4 weeks until the disease resolves.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Monkeypox primarily spreads through close contact, but can spread through respiratory droplets. However, it is far less contagious and is not airborne like COVID-19.

Infected people are also not considered contagious until they start showing symptoms, which limits transmission. This is unlike COVID-19 which is often spread by people who are asymptomatic.

On the other hand, past outbreaks of monkeypox had an R0 of less than one. That means even though there may be clusters of several cases, even outbreaks, the cases die out on their own.

Virus	R0
Measles	12 to 18
Omicron COVID-19	8
Smallpox	5 to 7
Ancestral COVID-19	2 to 3
H1N1 (2009)	1.5 to 2.5
Monkeypox	<1

The people most at risk would be close contacts of the infected person, like family members or healthcare workers taking care of them.

Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. It’s quite different from COVID in that sense.
– Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Infectious Disease Epidemiologist

That is why it is very unlikely to become a pandemic, even though it is really abnormal for so many outbreaks to occur simultaneously.

There is also the fact that the monkeypox is so closely related to the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine offers 85% protection against monkeypox infections.

Several countries, including the United States, have strategic reserves of smallpox vaccines, which can be deployed in a monkeypox outbreak.

We have already worked to secure sufficient supply of effective treatments and vaccines to prevent those exposed from contracting monkeypox and treating people who’ve been affected.
– Dr. Raj Panjabi, White House Pandemic Office.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Monkeypox : What You Must Know About This Viral Infection!

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zFind out what Monkeypox is all about, and whether it is a new viral infection we have to worry about!

Monkeypox : What You Need To Know

People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally, with cases in at least 20 countries outside of Africa.

Here are some facts about monkeypox that you should know…

Monkeypox Is Different From COVID-19

First, let me just clearly state this – the monkeypox virus is completely different from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

The monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus from the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family. It is closely related to the smallpox virus (variola)

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a single-stranded RNA virus from the Betacoronavirus genus in the Coronaviridae family. It is closely related to the SARS virus (SARS-CoV-1).

Monkeypox Is A Zoonotic Disease

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that is primarily carried and spread by animals, especially primates.

It was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, giving rise to the name – monkeypox. The first human case was only reported in 1970.

Monkeypox Is Getting More Common

The monkeypox virus used to be a relatively rare zoonotic virus, with about 400 human infections reported from 1970 to 1986 that were mostly limited to Central and West Africa.

It is becoming more common though, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014. Several small outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019) were also reported.

In the current 2022 outbreak, over 200 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in 21 countries.

Monkeypox : Transmission, Mortality + Disease Progression

Monkeypox Transmission

The monkeypox virus are generally transmitted through these methods :

animal-to-human : close contact, scratches or bites, or direct contact with bodily fluids
human-to-human : respiratory droplets or contact with bodily fluids or fomites (contaminated surfaces)

The virus enters the body through broken skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth.

Risk factors for human transmission include sharing the same bed or room with an infected person, as well as having sexual intercourse or sharing utensils.

Monkeypox Mortality Rate

Monkeypox is not as easily transmitted as COVID-19, but has a significantly higher mortality rate depending on the strain :

West African strain : 1% to 3%
Central African strain : 10%

Fortunately, the infections in the 2022 monkeypox outbreak are of the less virulent West African strain.

How A Monkeypox Infection Progresses

After infection, the incubation period is usually 7-14 days, but can vary from 5-21 days.

The patient will start experiencing general symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

Within 1-3 days though, the patient will develop lesions in the mouth, before they appear on the face and then spread to other parts of the body.

The first lesions appear on the tongue and in the mouth
A macular rash (flat, discoloured) then appears on the face, before spreading to the arms and legs and then hands and feet.
The macular rash will typically spread to the entire body within 24 hours, but is most concentrated on the face, arms and legs.
By the third day of the rash, the lesions will develop into elevated and palpable papules.
By the fourth to fifth day of the rash, the lesions will become fluid-filled vesicles.
By the sixth to seventh day, the vesicles will become pustular (filled with pus).
The pustules will be round and firm, with a depression in the centre, for the next 5-7 days.
By the end of the second week, the pustules will scab over for about a week before falling off.

Only after ALL of the scabs have fallen off is a person considered no longer contagious.

After the scabs have fallen off, the affected skin may appear pale before becoming dark marks, sometimes becoming pitted scars.

Monkeypox : Testing, Treatment + Prevention

Monkeypox Testing

Confirmation of a monkeypox infection is based on the detection of its viral DNA through real-time or conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The doctor will swab the lesions and/or exudate and/or crusts, which is different from how samples are collected for COVID-19 tests.

Monkeypox Treatment

There is currently no proven treatment for monkeypox infections, which will generally resolve over 2-4 weeks.

Patient care is usually supportive in nature (antipyretic medicine, fluid balance and oxygenation), but in severe cases, several antiviral treatments can be attempted :

Cidofovir and Brincidofovir (CMX001), which have proven activity against poxviruses in laboratory and animal studies.
Tecovirimat (ST-246), which was shown in animal studies to be effective in treating orthopoxvirus-induced disease.
Vaccinia Immune Globulin (VIG)

I should point out that none of these antiviral treatments have been proven to work against monkeypox.

Smallpox Vaccine Can Protect Against Monkeypox

The monkeypox virus is so closely related to the (eradicated) smallpox virus, that the smallpox vaccine can protect against monkeypox.

The smallpox vaccine called JYNNEOS (Imvamune / Imvanex) was earlier proven to be at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, and was thus licensed for use against monkeypox. Another smallpox vaccine called ACAM2000 may also be used.

The smallpox vaccine can also be given to those who were just exposed to the virus, to reduce its symptoms.

But please do NOT call up your local clinic to ask for the smallpox vaccine. It has not been available in many countries for decades because smallpox was effectively eradicated in 1980.

Other Preventive Measures

In the absence of the smallpox vaccine, the same measures used to avoid COVID-19 can be adopted to also avoid monkeypox :

Avoid contact with animals that can harbour the virus, particular animals that are sick or have been found dead
Avoid contact with infected monkeypox patients and their close contacts
Avoid contact with objects or surfaces that have been in contact with a sick person / animal
Use personal protective equipment (PPE) while caring for patients – N95 face mask, face shield, etc.
Practice good hand hygiene, washing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser

Monkeypox Isolation

Monkeypox patients must be isolated either in a hospital or at home, until all lesions are clear with a fresh layer of skin.

Close contact with other people should be avoided until all scabs have dropped off, which usually takes 2-4 weeks.

I hope you found this article useful. Please share it with your family and friends, and support our work! Thank you!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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