According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), monkeypox is caused by a virus that is a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus in the Poxviridae family.
Ndung’u says the symptoms of monkeypox are similar to those of smallpox, but much milder.
“The symptoms include fever, rash and papules. The case fatality rate is very low, except for immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women, who may suffer severe disease,” he explains.
