Monkeypox

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency over monkeypox. The extent to which monkeypox is a cause for concern in Bangladesh depends on the infection in nearby countries. If monkeypox continues to spread in nearby areas, it will definitely be a cause for concern for the country.

What is monkeypox

Mumpox/monkeypox (MPXV) is a viral disease. monkeypox is a different type of pox virus. There are two main types of monkeypox and there are sub-divisions within the two types. These viruses have been around for a long time, decreasing in the middle. Recently, monkeypox virus infections have started to increase again, which has spread to Africa and is also spreading to various countries in Europe and Asia.

How monkeypox spreads

The monkeypox virus originated from wildlife; it is an animal-borne disease. Earlier, those who used to hunt wild animals used to get infected. But now the monkeypox virus is spreading from person to person. This has increased the risk.

How it spreads –

• The monkeypox virus spreads from person to person through physical contact.
• There is a risk of infection if you are very close to the breathing of an infected person.
• The virus can spread from close contact with an infected animal, skinning, cutting meat, or even cooking, eating food cooked at low heat.
• The virus can spread from clothes, towels, bed sheets, and any other objects used by an infected person.
• The injection needle used by an infected person can also cause monkeypox if it is inserted into someone else’s body.
• If a pregnant woman is infected with monkeypox, her unborn child can also be infected with the mumps virus.
• If the blisters spread to different places after the monkeypox dries, the virus can be transmitted from there.

Symptoms of monkeypox

• The body of a person infected with monkeypox is very painful.
• The lymph nodes under the feet, throat, and armpits swell and become painful.
• Fever occurs due to severe pain and swelling.
• Water-filled blisters or blisters form on the skin and there is itching and pain.
• Monkeypox goes away on its own. But many people become very sick. Various complications arise from the virus infection, and even death can occur.

Treatment of monkeypox

There is no specific treatment for monkeypox. There is no direct medicine for this disease. Efforts are underway to discover a medicine. However,

• The patient should be kept in isolation and given symptomatic treatment.
• Painkillers should be given to reduce the pain and inflammation of the rash or blisters.
• Nutritious food and a clean environment should be kept.\
• If the patient’s condition is critical, he should be kept in the hospital for treatment.
• Since monkeypox is contagious, maximum precautions should be taken so that the virus does not spread.

Monkeypox Prevention

• Care should be taken that no one comes into contact with the infected person unnecessarily.
• When a doctor or anyone else comes into contact with a patient, they must wear gloves and a mask and provide treatment and care to the patient with as much protection as possible.
• Items and clothing used by the affected person cannot be used.
• Contact with infected animals cannot be made.
• After the pox dries, care should be taken to ensure that the rash does not fall off. The affected person should stay at home until he is completely recovered. Until a new rash forms on the body.
• The affected person should wear a mask and maintain physical distance.
• The boils or rashes on the body should be covered with ointments prescribed by the doctor.

Dengue

Dengue fever is a disease caused by the dengue virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Several species of Aedes mosquitoes (female mosquitoes), especially Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, are the main carriers of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Everyone is requested to follow the information below to stay safe from dengue virus attacks.

Dengue

Symptoms

• Initially, when dengue fever occurs, there is a mild fever for the first 3 to 4 days along with pain in the arms and legs. Headache, joint pain may also occur. Sometimes the pain is severe, so another name for this fever is “break bone fever”.
• On the third day of dengue fever, the body temperature can be 104 to 106 degrees.
• This fever reduces the amount of water in the body, so the amount of urine decreases, nausea may occur, and there may be a loss of appetite.

Nowadays, there is a possibility of contracting dengue virus despite having a mild fever. Therefore, if you have a fever for 4-5 consecutive days, get a blood test at the hospital or clinic. Moreover, our conventional wisdom was that Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, but now it has been found that these mosquitoes bite at night as well, so we should be vigilant both during the day and at night.

Things to do to prevent dengue infection

• Water should not be allowed to accumulate in any place or container. Accumulated water is a favorable environment for the reproduction of Aedes mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus.
• Always use a mosquito net while sleeping at night.
• Wear full-sleeved shirts/pants.
• If there is any rainwater accumulating anywhere in the house or around it, clean it immediately.
• Sprinkle bleaching powder in ponds, ponds or drains, this can prevent the spread of mosquitoes.

Things to do if infected:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Do not take any medicine without consulting a doctor and without a blood test.
• You can use paracetamol to reduce fever, but no other medicine should be taken without consulting a doctor.
• There is no specific medicine or vaccine for dengue fever, so the patient with dengue should be kept under a mosquito net.

Prevention and treatment:

There is no approved vaccine for dengue virus, so prevention depends on controlling the mosquito that carries the virus and protecting against its bites. Dengue fever vaccine has been approved in some countries, but this vaccine is only effective in people who have been infected once. Basically, avoiding Aedes mosquito bites is the main way to prevent dengue.

Thunderstorm

In Bangladesh, thunderstorms are usually more frequent in the months of April-June every year. But due to global changes, changes are currently being observed in this period. Usually, the duration of this thunderstorm usually lasts 30-45 minutes. In our country, numerous deaths also occur every year due to lightning. Therefore, some instructions should be followed to stay safe during a thunderstorm:

What to do during a thunderstorm

1. Do not go out of the house if there are thick black clouds in the sky; in case of emergency, you can go out wearing rubber shoes.
2. Do not stay in open areas, open fields or high places during a thunderstorm.
3. If you are in a paddy field or open field during a thunderstorm, quickly sit down on your toes and put your fingers in your ears.
4. Take shelter under a building or concrete canopy as soon as possible. Avoid tin sheds as much as possible.
5. Stay away from tall trees and electric poles and wires or metal poles, mobile towers, etc.
6. Stay away from rivers, ponds, and water bodies when dark clouds appear.
7. If you are inside a car during a thunderstorm, do not make contact with the metal parts of the car; if possible, take the car and take shelter under a concrete canopy.
8. If you are at home during a thunderstorm, do not stay near windows or on balconies. Keep windows closed and stay away from electrical appliances inside the house.
9. Avoid using all electrical appliances including mobile phones, laptops, computers, landlines, TVs, and refrigerators during a thunderstorm and turn them off if necessary.
10. Do not use umbrellas with metal handles during a thunderstorm. In case of emergency, you can use umbrellas with plastic or wooden handles.
11. Prevent children from playing in open fields during a thunderstorm and refrain yourself.
12. Do not touch metal faucets, metal railings of stairs, pipes, etc. in the house during a thunderstorm and storm.
13. Ensure that lightning rods are installed in every building.
14. If lightning strikes while many people are together in an open area, everyone should move 50 to 100 feet away.
15. If a house does not have adequate safety measures (lightning rods), then everyone should go to separate rooms instead of staying in one room.
16. If someone is injured by lightning, they should be treated like those injured by electric shock. If necessary, a doctor should be called immediately or taken to the hospital. Efforts should be made to restore the breathing and heartbeat of the person injured by lightning.

Public awareness is main things to be safe from thunderstorms