London, Europe Brief News- Monkeypox patients should avoid any contact with their pets for 21 days, a new study has revealed.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that Gerbils, hamsters and other rodents could be particularly susceptible to the disease and the concern is it could spread in the animal population.
The UK government said no cases have been detected in pets so far and the risk is still low.
“The worry is the virus could get into domestic animals and essentially ping-pong between them and humans,” said Prof Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick.
“If you are not careful you might create an animal reservoir for the disease that could result in it spreading back into humans, and we’ll be in a loop of infection.”
So far, 106 people in the UK have been confirmed as infected with the virus.
How dangerous is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox cases can occasionally be more severe, with some deaths having been reported in West Africa.
However, health authorities stress that we are not on the brink of a serious outbreak and the risks to the general public remain very low.
“While investigations remain ongoing to determine the source of infection, it is important to emphasize it does not spread easily between people and requires close personal contact with an infected symptomatic person,” Colin Brown, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UKHSA, said Saturday.
Health authorities in the U.K., U.S. and Canada urged people who experience new rashes or are concerned about monkeypox to contact their health-care provider.
The UKHSA added that it is reaching out and providing advice to any potential close contacts of cases and health-care worker who may have come into contact with infected patients.
