Researchers at Peru's National Institute of Health (INS) said they identified a monkeypox strain peculiar to this South American country
BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st September, 2022) Researchers at Peru's National Institute of Health (INS) said they identified a monkeypox strain peculiar to this South American country.
"Researchers at the INS have identified a Peruvian monkeypox virus lineage designated B.1.6," the institute said in a statement.
The scientists sequenced 160 monkeypox virus genomes, 122 of which corresponded to the B.1.6 lineage originating from the country's capital, Lima. The INS noted that this lineage is not the only one circulating in the country.
The newly discovered strain is still under study, the INS added. As of Wednesday, Peru recorded 1,531 monkeypox cases, with the first one detected in late June.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization said that the number of confirmed monkeypox cases worldwide exceeded 50,000.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that is not easily transmitted and usually spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, with an infected individual. The virus can enter the human body through broken skin, respiratory tract, eyes, nose, mouth, and bodily fluids. It originates in animals like rodents and primates in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
