Danger Ahead! Are We Celebrating the End of Monkeypox Too Soon?

GayNrd Editors October 18, 2022

Monkeypox cases are falling as doctors still try to learn how it’s spreading.

Why celebrating its demise could be dangerous.

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The outbreak is slowing, although some experts express concern that it may still become a widespread problem. Separately, rising flu activity is reported ahead of usual patterns, with southeast and south-central states having the highest levels.

Health experts attribute the success to changes in behavior among those at high risk for monkeypox and quick uptake of vaccines. But a growing body of evidence suggests another factor is also helping slow down the outbreak: the virus can spread only under very particular circumstances.

Not all experts agree with the rosier assessments about monkeypox’s future. Indeed, some experts are warning that celebrations of a non-pandemic may be premature.

This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America in 2022, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. (NIAID via AP, File)

Flu transmission has been low since the start of the pandemic, but an odd spurt of activity in April, May, and even early June of 2022 — which coincided with the onset of an early and robust flu season in Australia — suggests that flu may be making its way back.

“The ones who tend to get the most sick are the infants below four months. And then the ones who are older who tend to get most sick are those who have some other medical conditions,” said Dr. Sameer Kamath, chief medical officer for Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center.

Cover Photo: Colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox virus particles (orange) found within an infected cell (green) (Getty Images/NIH-NIAID/IMAGE POINT FR/BSIP/Universal Images Group)