Oklahoma Health Experts Spreading Awareness of Mpox And Viral Prevention Efforts

Mpox, now considered a global health emergency by the World Health Organization following a rapid spread of the disease in Africa, has caused concern for health officials in the United States.

In Oklahoma, local health exports are doing what they can to inform the general public of the dangers of the virus, and what can be done to prevent its spread.

News 9 spoke with OU Health's infectious disease specialist Dr. Donna Tyungu for more information on what mpox is and what Oklahomans can do to stay healthy.

According to Tyungu, mpox is described as a cousin of the deadly smallpox virus, which was eradicated in the 20th century.

“Mpox is typically enclosed within Africa," Tyungu said. “The reason it's a public health concern, just like in 2022, is because it's expanded beyond the borders of Africa."

Compared to the 2022 outbreak of the disease, Tyungu said the disease is separated into two groups, or clades.

Clade I, which is at the forefront of the current outbreak, is much more infectious and deadly compared to clade II, which was the branch of the disease which spread in 2022.

Tyungu said clade I has not yet been found in the U.S., but has been identified in Sweden and Thailand, which is what prompted the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak an international emergency.

As for symptoms to look out for, Tyungu said early signs of the disease are similar to influenza, but after a few days those afflicted may begin to see small bumps, similar to pustules, on their skin.

In terms of preventive efforts though, Tyungu said there are some things Oklahomans can do to stay healthy.

“We do have vaccine, there is also a treatment that was actually developed for smallpox that we could use in the particularly ill patients," Tyungu said. “But I want people to know that Lysol works. Lysol kills it, hand sanitizers kill it, so remember to wash your hands. The biggest thing people need to know is, if they are concerned that they might have an infection, to kind of stay home and call and do telehealth visits."

Tyungu said due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahomans are more aware of how fast a viral outbreak can spread, which is why it is important to get informative, reliable information out as quickly as possible.

“Hopefully, this one should not spread as quickly as COVID, because it's not airborne, it's just contact droplet," Tyungu said.