Dr Yong highlights 4 differences between monkeypox spread in Africa and Europe

1. Age

• Africa – found in every age group from children aged over 1 to elders aged over 60
• Europe – found in individuals aged between 20 and 50

2. Gender

• Africa – Two-thirds are male patients, one-third female
• Europe – 98-99 per cent of cases are male, 1-2 per cent female

3. Transmission

• Africa – from animals to humans, especially via rodents such as rats
• Europe – No reports of animal-to-human transmissions, only human-to-human; some studies reported that the disease could spread through sexual intercourse

4. Lesions

• Africa – found on parts of the body outside clothes such as hands, feet, face and necks
• Europe – found on parts of the body concealed under clothes, with 30 per cent reporting lesions in sexual organs.