In November 2021, tycoon Bill Gates warned of the threat that a
smallpox outbreak
for the humanity. Given the recent cases of monkeypox that are recorded in more than a dozen countries, once once more the world has all its attention on the statements of the philanthropist and founder of Microsoft.
Gates’ statements were given in November 2021,
during an interview with the English parliamentarian Jeremy Hunt, in which they discussed the possibility of a biological attack.
“What if a bioterrorist brought smallpox to 10 airports? Do you know how the world would respond to that? There are naturally caused epidemics and there are epidemics caused by bioterrorism that might even be much worse than what we currently experience,” said Bill Gates.
Scotland joined the list of countries with confirmed cases of the disease on Monday. Monkeypox, which is not usually fatal, can cause fever, muscle aches, swollen glands, tiredness, and a skin rash.
This Sunday, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to talk regarding a suspected case that is under observation. The patient was recently in Spain.
WHO speaks out
Monkeypox is a zoonosis
(virus transmitted to humans by animals) and its symptoms are similar to those seen in the past among smallpox patients, although with less severity.
Its transmission takes place through contact with wounds, body fluids, droplets and contaminated material, as bedding, and its incubation period is usually from six to thirteen days, although it can go up to 21 days.
Immunity once morest this disease is very low.
among the young population in view of the fact that the population under 40 or 50 years of age has not received the smallpox vaccine and the virus has not been present in non-endemic countries.
The endemic countries are: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana (here it has only been identified among animals), Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Brazaville), Sierra Leone and Sudan from the south.
