Is monkeypox the next big pandemic? Are you at risk? Is it serious? Here's a roundup of what we know about the virus that's all over the mainstream media.

Where did monkeypox start, and where are the current cases?

Monkeypox is not a brand new virus. It was initially discovered in 1958, in – you guessed it – colonies of monkeys. The first confirmed human case of monkeypox is documented as occurring in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the CDC:

The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox. Since then, monkeypox has been reported in people in several other central and western African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone. The majority of infections are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (source)

What with global travel, the virus has escaped the continent of Africa, and cases have been diagnosed in countries where it is not endemic as of May 21, 2022, including the United States, Israel, Spain, the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Portugal. (source)

What is monkeypox?

According to Harvard University:

Monkeypox is an infection caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox. It causes a similar (though usually less severe) illness and is most common in central and western Africa. It was first discovered in research monkeys more than half a century ago. Certain squirrels and rats found in Africa are among other animals that harbor this virus.

The early symptoms of monkeypox are flu-like and include

fever

fatigue

headache

enlarged lymph nodes.