Monkey Pox Detected in Hungary

The monkeypox infection has also appeared in Hungary, a 38-year-old man was diagnosed with the disease, the national chief public health officer, Cecília Müller announced, at a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday.

She said that the epidemiologists are currently investigating whether the man had been abroad, as well as other circumstances related to the patient.

She added that the test samples taken from the man were sent to the National Public Health Center (NNK) on Monday, and on Tuesday, the samples were subjected to full virus sequencing, thus providing full certainty that the case is monkeypox.

Cecília Müller pointed out that monkeypox is a zoonotic infection that is not easily transmitted from human to human, and close contact is essential for the disease to be transmitted.

The symptoms are initially malaise, headache, muscle aches, swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by rashes and blisters, typically on the face, back of the hands and palms, and then all over the body. 

The infectivity of the virus persists from the initial symptoms until the blisters are cleared and the so-called blisters fall off the skin.

In addition to close physical contact, the infection can be transmitted by other objects such as towels, bed linen and, less commonly, coughing and sneezing. The disease lasts for 2-4 weeks and the infected person should be isolated, she added.

She also said that in general, monkeypox patients recover on their own within two weeks without any therapy. However, it is important to be cautious, to monitor cases and to diagnose early and consult a doctor if there is any suspicion.