Dr Yong highlights 4 differences between monkeypox spread in Africa and Europe

Dr Yong Poovorawan went on Facebook to highlight four differences in the alarming spread of the virus on the two continents.

1. Age

• Africa – found in every age group from children aged over 1 to elders aged over 60
• Europe – found in individuals aged between 20 and 50

2. Gender

• Africa – Two-thirds are male patients, one-third female
• Europe – 98-99 per cent of cases are male, 1-2 per cent female

3. Transmission

• Africa – from animals to humans, especially via rodents such as rats
• Europe – No reports of animal-to-human transmissions, only human-to-human; some studies reported that the disease could spread through sexual intercourse

4. Lesions

• Africa – found on parts of the body outside clothes such as hands, feet, face and necks
• Europe – found on parts of the body concealed under clothes, with 30 per cent reporting lesions in sexual organs.