Belgium becomes the first nation to impose 21-day quarantine for monkeypox

Belgium, a country in Northwestern Europe, is the first nation to launch compulsory 21-day quarantine for those who catch the fatal monkeypox virus. This announcement came on Sunday, 22 May.

Belgium, a country in Northwestern Europe, is the first nation to launch compulsory 21-day quarantine for those who catch the fatal monkeypox virus. This announcement came on Sunday, 22 May.

The cases of the Covid-19 virus are still being found in many countries, and amid this, a new virus is being spread, and people will have to stay indoors. On Sunday, Belgium became the first nation to introduce mandatory in-house quarantine for those infected with a virus. 

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The reported cases were all linked to a festival held in the port city of Antwerp, as per the Belgian health authorities. Till now, 14 nations have reported an infrequent outbreak of the infection, including four people in Belgium. 

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has reported almost 20 cases, and doctors in the country have warned of a significant rise in cases. 

This has come after Switzerland found its first case of monkeypox on Saturday, 21 May. On the other hand, experts at the Belgian Institute of Tropical Medicine have estimated that the possible risk of a massive outbreak of monkeypox virus is much low. 

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a disease/infection from the same family as smallpox and has symptoms such as fever, rash, sore muscles, and headache. Monkeypox is less fatal than smallpox, with a less than 4% mortality rate. Experts say they are tensed about the unusual and sudden spread of the disease beyond the African nations where it usually circulates. 

Monkeypox is a rare infection which people usually catch in the tropical areas of west and central Africa. It can be transmitted by close contact with someone who is infected. 

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Usually, it is a mild infection, with most patients getting better within a few weeks without any treatment. However, it can be fatal in some cases, with the strain causing the present outbreak killing one in 100 infected. 

 

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