Monkeypox Outbreaks in 2022: Battling Another "Pandemic" of Misinformation

Abstract

Abstract: Monkeypox is a virus that was formerly recognized as a rare zoonotic disease but has been noted as an emerging disease of concern where there are significant gaps in knowledge. In 2022, Monkeypox outbreaks are being concurrently reported in numerous non-endemic geographical areas, thus instigating a global wave of public health concern amid calls for urgent action from international authorities. As of the 8th of June 2022, about 1,285 laboratory-confirmed cases were detected in 28 regions across Africa, the Americas, and the European Region [1]. This virus is more commonly reported in West and Central Africa, where previous self-limiting outbreaks have had a mortality rate ranging between 1% and 15% [2]. However, the alarming surge of cases in 2022 with obvious multicountry community transmission is raising the alarm bells for monkeypox as a potential future global threat with unprecedented ramifications.