A pox upon us

I can’t stop but wonder at how rapidly the world has changed between the boomers and today's Generation Alpha. From the iconic black Model 500 rotary telephones used through the 1950s to obsolete pagers exploding today as part of terror attacks…the world has indeed come a long way, and not necessarily always in the right direction. Boomers remember lining up in school to receive the mandatory smallpox vaccine in the 1960s and here we are again, staring at the Mpox menace.

A confirmed Mpox Clade 1b case in India has us all in a tizzy bringing back painful memories of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. With global warming and melting of ice, the episodes of viral zoonotic diseases will be an unpleasant reality. And all these viruses will mutate and adapt to our new ways. Ingenious, frustrating, and deeply worrying, but definitely here to stay, viruses and disease will continue to plague humankind.

Malaria, dengue, and chikungunya have become stronger over the years and are wreaking havoc in Indian cities. Delhi has reported 300 cases of dengue in a week. In Karnataka, it's broken all records with over 25,000 reported cases this year already. Densely populated Indian cities are both a weakness and a burden. Mysterious fevers, slow typhoids, long colds — routine and normally ignored ailments seem super energised, almost instantly after Covid-19. Perhaps strengthened by it? Researchers are engrossed in investigating the long-term impact of Covid-19 and vaccination.

The latest Mpox situation joins an ever-increasing retinue of viruses to be wary of. It's been almost 25 years since vaccination against smallpox was stopped. Smallpox is considered close to monkeypox and those who had received the vaccine, though may not have the antibodies but since the body remembers, can provide some protection or decrease the force of the virus. Well-known virologist Dr Shahid Jameel told me that current trends suggest that Mpox doesn't show signs of becoming a pandemic since unlike Covid-19 it's still not airborne and requires close contact, including intimate or sexual touch. However, whole Mpox has been around for many years, the recent clade 1b variant is more infectious and therefore, a cause for concern. The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a “public health emergency of international concern”; its second emergency alert in that many years.

The US has now announced the donation of 1 million Mpox vaccine doses and about USD 500 million to African nations. Since the Mpox Clade 2 outbreak in 2022, the US has reported over 32,000 confirmed cases and 58 deaths. Could the developed world have done more to contain the spread of Mpox in West Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo? Absolutely! As the world gropes with one new disease after another, the developed and developing nations must assume a greater role in nipping diseases in the bud. Money, resources, and efforts spent on containing a virus at the epicentre is most effective and proves to be prudent and efficient in the long run.

The damage is done, glaciers are melting, and viruses are adapting to colder climes. As much as long standing pandemics create fatigue, we have to be vigilant. Extensive and continuous research and development along with serious surveillance and monitoring at the ground level for newer strains, unknown ailments, and so on will be imperative. Governments, both global and local, must have a transparent and collaborative attitude towards sharing of research and ensure that information percolates to all levels of the medical fraternity as well as to the general public. Empowered nations must act proactively to fight and restrict the spread of disease. Dr Jameel reminded me of how when nations came together, we were able to produce Covid-19 vaccine briskly within a year. We already have the tools and require only the willingness and a multi-pronged strategy to tackle future viruses. Between January 2021 and June 2023, over 30 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses were exported out of India, of which 77 per cent were commercial orders while remaining were grants. India, with its scientific and medical capabilities, and a desire for global glory, can play a pivotal role too.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal