A smarter defence

Under the present circumstances, viruses are something to be taken very seriously. Humans have, after all, been through two years of unnormal life (still a privilege when seen against pandemic deaths) which is continuing. Detection of Monkeypox in countries that had never experienced it before has rung an alarm bell globally. Parallels are being drawn with Covid-19 by some, but experts have refuted most of the apprehensions. As we have encountered strains after strains of the Coronavirus, our response to any kind of viral threat must be guided by our understanding of the pathogen and not on the hype or panic created by the same. Expecting more viral outbreaks in the future, humans' behavioural response to viruses should become more mature and normalised. Monkeypox has been endemic to the parts of Central and West Africa and is seen as a mild version of smallpox — though it is genetically different. It was first detected in humans in the 1970s. So Monkeypox, in the first place, is not a new phenomenon. Humans have been dealing with it for decades in one part of the world. Central and Western Africa have been witnessing occasional outbreaks for decades. The real mystery is why it has spilt over to the other parts of the world — particularly Europe, the US and Australia. As of now, no concrete answer to this conundrum has been verified. An understanding of the genesis and transmission of the virus may provide some insights. Contrary to the name given to it, Monkeypox is predominantly spread by rodents — a range of which has been traced to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Essentially, Monkeypox is a result of zoonotic spillover. Instances of such spillovers have gone up over the past few years and consistently shrinking animal habitats and forests are exacerbating the problem. So, increased instances of zoonotic spillover are being contemplated as one of the factors behind rising cases. Furthermore, although human-to-human transmission of the Monkeypox virus is a rare phenomenon, it is known to occur through physical contact — particularly sexual in nature. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has pointed out that the virus can also spread by touching or sharing infected items, or by the respiratory droplets produced by sneezing or coughing. Now, this is quite tricky as it reminds us of early statements about Covid-19. A distinction has to be made in this regard. The genetic structure of both viruses is not the same. Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus, which allows it to be suspended in the air for some time, but Monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus which is comparatively bulkier. More importantly, DNA viruses are relatively stable — meaning chances of frequent mutation remain low. As things stand today, there's no visible evidence that should worry us to the point of panic. Experts are making efforts to single out the reasons behind the sudden spread of the virus across uncommon countries. Some point out that the human tendency to travel more amid the subsiding pandemic is one of the reasons behind the viral spread. This argument cannot be ruled out as there is no evidence to contradict it, but it appears quite ambiguous and far-fetched. Another major factor that should keep us away from unnecessary panic is that the Monkeypox virus is 'containable' and treatable. Monkeypox's treatment is similar to that of smallpox. So, even if some significant outbreak occurs, methods of containment are available. Caution has to prevail in any case. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has instructed the authorities to remain watchful of symptoms among people. It is also devising protocols to deal with the situation if cases are found in India. Such alacrity reflects well on the authorities and people too should behave responsibly. In the name of caution, all that is required is the routine hygiene and physical distancing we have been practising over the past two years. In addition, people should be educated on the new virus and any cases, if found, must be reported to the authorities. We know this can be dealt with. It has to be done smartly.