Monkeypox in Finland? THL's researcher sees no pandemic risk

Atypical monkeypox, according to Leif Lakoma, a specialist at the National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), could appear in Finland."However, there are currently few cases in Europe, and Finland has no diseases or suspected infections," he adds.

Many instances of monkeypox have been found in Europe and North America in the last two weeks, according to THL. 

As of May 7, there were nine confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, five in Portugal, and one in the United States. There are 23 possible cases of infection in Spain. On Thursday, the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation SVT reported that one case of monkeypox had been identified in Stockholm. The Swedish National Agency for Public Health (Fohm) is investigating whether there are any other cases in Sweden and intends to suggest that monkeypox be designated as a disease of general concern to prevent its spread.

In Finland, defining this, according to Lakoma, is redundant."In general, dangerous illnesses are extremely contagious and dangerous." This disease is often none of these. Those who became ill in Europe did not spread the disease to other parts of the world. The monkeypox virus is mainly prevalent in West and Central Africa. People who have been affected in Europe have almost invariably relocated to Africa in the past.

Those who have been injured have frequently come into contact with wildlife. Monkeypox is seldom spread from person to person, and infecting another person usually needs very close contact. According to Lakoma, Finland is not at risk of a massive monkey vaccination outbreak.

The majority of contemporary occurrences are assumed to be related to the male sex. According to Lakoma, the phenomenon was just recently discovered: "The virus has long been present on the African continent, and illnesses are regularly acquired from wild animals." It was just recently discovered that it is still spread through intercourse in Europe."

There are two strains of the monkeypox virus, one of which is more severe than the other. At the very least, incidences in the UK have been less severe than those in West Africa. Lakoma believes that the Central African shift, which might cause more severe symptoms at times, is unlikely to occur simultaneously across Europe.

SMALLPOX-like monkeypox is a rare viral disease in Europe that causes vesicular-like skin changes similar to chickenpox, especially on the face. Skin changes might spread to other parts of the body, including the vaginal region. Before skin signs show, an infected person may have a fever and a general feeling of malaise for a few days.

The ailment is usually modest and resolves on its own after a few weeks. Those with a weakened immune system due to another illness or medical treatment are more prone to get a severe case of the disease. A mild illness can escalate to a more dangerous condition in an immunocompromised person." Because the signs of the disease, like chickenpox, are infrequent in adults, Lakoma anticipates that cases of monkeypox will appear in Finland soon. "Even if the sickness is minor," he says, "people are more inclined to get therapy."

Lakoma advises seeking medical attention if you see symptoms that mirror monkeypox. You should seek treatment and testing because of the symptoms, especially if you are immunocompromised or have had unprotected intercourse.

The spread of monkeypox, according to Lakoma, should not be the reason for concern due to the low risk of infection and the disease's normally moderate look. THL is keeping a careful eye on the situation in Finland and has requested that any confirmed cases of monkeypox be reported to local infectious disease authorities.