Monkeypox

In a remote southwestern pocket of the Central African Republic, doctor Patrick Karume and his small team are on the jungle frontline to quarantine a rare outbreak of monkeypox.

Monkeypox is a rare viral pox-like disease from the smallpox family, only milder. It can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, contact with body fluids or contact with an infected animal or animal products. The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The United States saw a large outbreak among humans in 2003 after the virus spread from imported African rodents to pet prairie dogs. However, this is believed to be the first monkeypox virus infection in a Texas resident, according to Dallas County health officials.

Clusters of monkeypox cases have recently been identified in Britain and Portugal, while Spain is investigating suspected cases of the virus.