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Monkeypox, a common virus in Central and West Africa, is increasing in several countries in Europe and now in the United States of America.

There have been more than 100 cases reported worldwide and the UK Health Security Agency says the outbreak is “significant and concerning” though the risk to its population “remains low.”

The first case was discovered in a man from Massachusetts who traveled from Canada, and a recent case was detected in Florida.

Though anyone is susceptible to the virus, experts say most of the cases were found in gay men.

President Joe Biden said “people should be careful” but it does not “rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with Covid-19.”

Belgium, with four cases reported on Monday, though, is taking precautions and is the first country to introduce a mandatory 21-day quarantine for monkeypox patients.  Close contacts are not required to self-isolate.

How Monkeypox spreads

Experts said the virus does not seem to spread easily between people but can spread through close physical contact with somebody infected.

The early symptoms are the flu, fever and chills, and a rash that can spread from the face to other parts of the body.

The rash of raised spots turns into blisters which clear up within two to four weeks.

Experts say the smallpox vaccine can be used to help limit the spread.

President Biden said vaccines were being offered to close contacts but there were no plans for an “at scale” vaccination program.

“We do have vaccines procured at significant numbers but given the nature of this and how we know it’s spreading, it’s thought to be no clinical requirement for that sort of at scale campaign,” he said.

As President Vladimir Putin continues to wage war on Ukraine, causing one of the world’s greatest humanitarian crises, President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian fuel, hoping to cripple the “main artery of Russia’s economy.”

“We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas energy. That means Russian oil will no longer be accepted in U.S. ports, and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.”

While the US used an abrupt approach because its dependency on Russian fuel is less, the European Union is planning to cut its reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and end it “well before 2030”.

What it means

The ban on Russian oil will automatically further spike gas prices, where consumers are already seeing a surge at the gas pump.

At the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Paul Hepburn, a proprietor of three Esso Gas Stations warned that Bahamians can expect to pay $6 a gallon, while Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell estimated $8 a gallon.

The big story

Ten percent of the world’s fuel comes from Russia, so if dealers source fuel from other places, the demand will cause the price of fuel to increase.

“We think that a complete ban on Russian energy imports would cause the prices of Brent crude oil and European natural gas to surge to $160 [per barrel],” economists at Capital Economics said in a research report.

Russia is the EU’s top gas supplier.

What Biden says

The president said he made the decision in consultation with European allies but they may not be in a position to join the ban. He said the United States is working closely with them to develop a “long-term strategy” to reduce their dependence on Russian energy.

More than one hundred leaders around the world, including the country’s Prime Minister Philip Davis, gathered in Glasglow, Scotland to fight climate change and address the increase in greenhouse gases which according to experts, are having an adverse effect on small island nations like the Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica, where hurricanes are intensifying in frequency and strength.

Leaders like US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson are agitating for countries to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions. However, one cannot help but notice that these leaders and dignitaries are increasing the usage of these gases and can be accused of not practicing what they preach.

Fox News has dubbed the conference, “gas-guzzling get-together.”

Biden arrived in Glasgow in a 21-vehicle motorcade, including 4 planes and a Marine One helicopter, leaving behind his carbon footprint, which contributes to climate change. His arrival in Scotland follows his stay in Rome where an 85-vehicle motorcade accompanied him while releasing tonnes of fumes in the air.

Yet, he preached from the stage in Glasglow, “…No more time to hang back or sit on the fence or argue among ourselves.”

The British press counted more than 400 private jets that are not climate-friendly which huddled on the runway carrying dignitaries and celebrities to Glasgow. Some used limousines, using tonnes of carbon dioxide.

“Conservative predictions suggest the fleet of private jets arriving for COP26 will blast out 13,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in total — equivalent to the amount consumed by more than 1,600 Britons in a year,” the British newspaper the Daily Mail reported.

One individual uses only 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide in one year.

The British Royal Family was also present preaching for countries to do more to combat climate change and Queen Elizabeth delivered a speech by video, “Time for words, have moved to a time for action,” she said.

But her family burns 3,810 tonnes per year, according to reports. This indicates that they are a part of the problem.

The world’s richest man, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was also present advocating that “we must all stand together to protect our world.”

Critics have lambasted him for failing to implement green policies at Amazon, and his journey into space this year, has chalked up a significant amount of fossil fuels.

World leaders have failed to deliver on climate change as the summit has had 25 other summits without solutions to the climate change problem.

They seem not to have the solution to keep the planet from heating up above 1.5 degrees Celsius.

China, was not present at the summit even though it produces the greatest amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

At the summit, leaders are praised for their lofty statements and rhetoric but if climate change is real, the small island nations will continue to suffer at the hands of richer nations until concrete proposals are presented and world leaders practice what they preach.