Issue #83 - What Do We Know About Monkeypox So Far?
7 key reads that shed scientific light on what we are learning about the outbreak.
Welcome to Issue 83 of Asia Travel Re:Set…
I’m still in Europe, so this is an abbreviated issue - and delivered slightly early.
Monkeypox raised alarm bells worldwide this week. It is perhaps the first global test of public health protocols since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The outbreak began on 7 May in the UK, and has currently reached more than 10 countries. Media outlets are mostly focusing on these locations, the symptoms and reported cases of viral transmission through sexual contact between men.
As of Saturday 21 May, Australia has recorded the only cases in Asia Pacific.
With the Monkeypox outbreak causing concern among experienced scientists, I've collated 7 key reads about what we know so far.
I’ll be back KL on Friday, and Asia Travel Re:Set will resume as normal next Sunday.
Thanks for being onboard.
The Sunday Itinerary
- “IN THE NEWS”
- What Do We Know About Monkeypox So Far?
7 key reads that shed scientific light on what we are learning about the outbreak.
- Laos Reopens to International Tourists
Having reopened to travellers on 9 May, what’s next for this beautiful country?
“IN THE NEWS”
This week, I was a Keynote Speaker at the 2022 Guangzhou International Tourism Fair Conference. I discussed the challenges and opportunities for South East Asian destinations when Chinese travellers return in future - and the planning and development currently underway across the region.
Here’s the full conference link (my presentation starts at 1 hr, 8 mins 40 secs).
The absence of Chinese and Japanese travellers is "holding back the region’s full recovery," IATA noted this week. I provided a few comments for this piece by Al Jazeera about how Asia Pacific's "slow recovery underscores the outsize importance of China and Japan to travel and tourism."
What Do We Know About Monkeypox So Far?
“Zoonotic” and “Outbreak.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has embedded panic into the global consciousness whenever those two words appear in a sentence or headline.
And with good reason.
This week, cases of Monkeypox - a zoonotic a virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans - were recorded in 11 countries, including the UK, US, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain, Canada and Australia.
Unlike SARS-CoV-2, Monkeypox is a known virus. It was first detected in 1958, and a vaccine exists. It is a similar virus to Smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980. Symptoms include fever and skin lesions, and can last for between 2 and 4 weeks.
Hitherto, Monkeypox outbreaks are usually contained in West and Central Africa, where various strains have resulted in an estimated mortality rate of 1-10%.
But, as a vaccinology expert in Johannesburg told Africa News this week:
“Monkeypox outbreaks in Africa have been very controlled and infrequent. If this is changing, we really need to understand why."
We are at a nascent stage. The virus outbreak is being quickly analysed by lab experts. More details will emerge as scientists release genome sequencing results in the coming weeks,
Meantime, here are 7 key reads about the Monkeypox virus, and what we know at this stage of the outbreak:
1) WHO Working Closely With Countries Responding to Monkeypox
The World Health Organisation (WHO) updated the current situation of the Monkeypox outbreak on Friday. It has a useful Q&A and factsheet about the virus and how it spreads.
“The virus is endemic in some animal populations in a number of countries, leading to occasional outbreaks among local people and travelers. The recent outbreaks reported across 11 countries so far are atypical, as they are occurring in non-endemic countries.”
2) Monkeypox Goes Global: Why Scientists Are On Alert
Nature examines why Monkeypox, a less lethal relative of Smallpox, “has cropped up in so many populations” around the world.
“For Monkeypox to be detected in people with no apparent connection to one another suggests that the virus might have been spreading silently.”
3) Could Monkeypox Become a Pandemic?
New Scientist asks and answers most of the questions people are currently concerned with about Monkeypox, while admitting “It’s way too early to have any insights into what is happening.”
“The fact that so many cases are being reported in several countries certainly suggests that this strain is more transmissible than others.”
4) African Scientists Surprised by Spread of Monkeypox Cases
Africa News interviews scientists “who have followed the numerous Monkeypox outbreaks across Africa.” Their responses are illuminating, and a little scary.
"This is not the kind of spread we've seen in West Africa, so there may be something new happening in the West."
5) First Draft Genome Sequence of Monkeypox Virus Associated With the Suspected Multi-Country Outbreak
Virological.org published the first genome sequencing study of new cases of Monkeypox by infectious disease specialists in Portugal.
“The determination of the genome sequence of the virus causing these infections will certainly contribute to better understand the epidemiology, sources of infection, and transmission patterns.”
6) So, Have You Heard About Monkeypox?
The Atlantic speaks with epidemiologists and disease control experts to ascertain how this new viral outbreak will test whether the world has learned anything from COVID-19.
“I’ve seen a lot of people writing as if everything we know about Monkeypox is definitive and finalized, but the reality is that it is still a rare zoonotic infection.”
7) Monkeypox is Popping Up in More Countries. How Worrying is This?
The Economist details the history of the Monkeypox virus, and assesses the potential challenges for scientists and healthcare in the coming weeks.
“The tricky part is diagnosis. A Monkeypox rash looks a lot like Chickenpox. Confirming it requires sending samples to a specialist laboratory equipped to handle highly dangerous pathogens.”
Laos Reopens to International Tourists
Laos reopened to inbound visitors on 9 May. On The South East Asia Travel Show, we welcomed back Vientiane-based Jason Rolan to discuss the tourism outlook for this beautiful landlocked country. Jason talks about e-visas, the airlines preparing to return to Laos - and which new routes might be developed. Plus, can Laos promote itself as a single destination, rather than an add-on for trips to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia? And when will Chinese tourists ride the new China-Laos railway?
Listen to Laos Reopens to International Tourists, With Jason Rolan, here:
🎧 Website 🎧 Spotify 🎧 Apple Podcasts
Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast platform.
And, that’s a wrap for mini Issue 83.
Until next Sunday, find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, the Asia Travel Re:Set website and The South East Asia Travel Show.
Happy travels,
Gary