In July, the WHO declared monkeypox as a public health emergency.
Monkeypox disease is extremely painful, patients have said. Describing the pain as the worst ones, patients have said that the lesions which appear on genitals make it even more painful.
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Read: How To Take Care Of Monkeypox Lesions
Monkeypox, caused by the monkeypox virus, is a zoonotic disease. So far, a total of 47,751 laboratory confirmed cases and 302 probable cases have been reported to the World Health Organisation. The data submitted till August 29, includes 15 deaths. " Since 13 May 2022, a high proportion of these cases have been reported from countries without previously documented monkeypox transmission. This is the first time that cases and sustained chains of transmission have been reported in countries without direct or immediate epidemiological links to areas of West or Central Africa," the global health agency has said.
In July, the WHO declared monkeypox as a public health emergency.
"All I could think about was the pain"
For 27 year old Corentin Hennebert, one of the first cases in France, the pain was extremely unbearable.
"I constantly had the impression that razor blades were being thrust into me -- I can't think of any other comparison, (the pain) was so strong," the 27-year-old told AFP.
Before he was given the powerful painkiller tramadol, he lost seven kilos (15 pounds) in just three days because he was not eating, AFP reported.
"It was really ugly and I didn't know what to do"
32-year-old Sebastien Tuller, a LGBT activist, said he became anxious when the lesions started showing on his face. "It was really ugly and I didn't know what to do," he said.
Misinformation around this infectious disease makes it extremely difficult for patients to cope with.
The toughest phase is when lesions start appearing on the body, especially on the face.
The "after-effects, particularly aesthetic", are distressing for many who fear they could be left with long-lasting scars, says Nathan Peiffer-Smadja, an infectious disease specialist at the Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital in Paris.
Internal lesions are the worst
"A small number of patients can develop internal lesions, particularly inside the anus, which can be "extremely painful"," adds Nathan Peiffer-Smadja. In this outbreak, the lesions are also commonly seen in the genital region like anus.
Monkeypox lesions are mostly found on the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet and genitals. As per the WHO, "it affects the face (in 95% of cases), and palms of the hands and soles of the feet (in 75% of cases). Also affected are oral mucous membranes (in 70% of cases), genitalia (30%), and conjunctivae (20%), as well as the cornea."
'End of their tether'
Many people described the pain as something too unbearable. "And I'm not the only one, others have contacted me to tell me that they were at the end of their tether, that they were crying all the time," narrates Hennebert.
Currently Hennebert is the spokesman for a group of monkeypox patients which is engaged in bringing in swifter action against the disease.
"Fear of being stigmatised"
With more incidences of monkeypox in men who have sex with men, the stigma around monkeypox is rising.
Due to this many such people do not open up on having this infection with the fear of having their sexual orientation revealed.
Nicolas Derche of the French LGBT group SOS says this monkeypox outbreak has "reawakened the trauma of HIV". Backing him, Vincent Leclercq of the French group AIDES told AFP, "For HIV-positive people, this has revived some very rough things," from fear of a diagnosis to reliving past discrimination."
Monkeypox lesions are extremely contagious
When the monkeypox lesions are active on the skin, is when they are extremely contagious. Doctors and experts have warned healthy individuals not to come in contact with the infected people at this stage.
The Indian health ministry suggests covering the lesions as much as possible. "Skin lesions should be covered to the best extent possible (e.g. long sleeves, long pants) to minimize risk of contact with others," the guidelines read. It also suggests cleaning the rashes with simple antiseptic and recommends Mupironic Acid/Fucidin. It recommends sitz bath for genital ulcers and warm saline gargles/ oral topical anti-inflammatory gel for oral ulcers which are commonly seen in this infection.
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