A leading adviser to the World Health Organization described the unprecedented outbreak of the rare disease monkeypox in developed countries as “a random event” that might be explained by risky sexual behavior at two recent mass events in Europe. In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. David Heymann, who formerly headed WHO’s emergencies department, said the leading theory to explain the spread of the disease was sexual transmission among gay and bisexual men at two raves held in Spain and Belgium. Monkeypox has not previously triggered widespread outbreaks beyond Africa, where it is endemic in animals. “We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission,” said Heymann. That marks a significant departure from the disease’s typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates and outbreaks have not spread across borders. To date, WHO has recorded more than 90 cases of monkeypox in a dozen countries including Britain, Spain, Israel, France, Switzerland, the U.S. and Australia. Also read: Monkeypox: Govt orders screening passengers at all airports, land ports Madrid’s senior health official said on Monday that the Spanish capital has recorded 30 confirmed cases so far. Enrique Ruiz Escudero said authorities are investigating possible links between a recent Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands, which drew some 80,000 people, and cases at a Madrid sauna. Heymann chaired an urgent meeting of WHO’s advisory group on infectious disease threats on Friday to assess the ongoing epidemic and said there was no evidence to suggest that monkeypox might have mutated into a more infectious form. Monkeypox typically causes fever, chills, rash, and lesions on the face or genitals. It can be spread through close contact with an infected person or their clothing or bedsheets, but sexual transmission has not yet been documented. Most people recover from the disease within several weeks without requiring hospitalization. Vaccines against smallpox, a related disease, are also effective in preventing monkeypox and some antiviral drugs are being developed. The disease can be fatal in about 10% of infections, but no deaths have been reported among the current cases. WHO said the outbreak is “atypical” and said the fact that cases are being seen in so many different countries suggests the disease may have been silently spreading for some time. The agency’s Europe director warned that as summer begins across the continent, mass gatherings, festivals and parties could accelerate the spread of monkeypox. Other scientists have pointed out that it will be difficult to disentangle whether it is sex itself or the close contact related to sex that has driven the recent spread of monkeypox across Europe. “By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a person’s sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission," said Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London. On Sunday, the chief medical adviser of Britain’s Health Security Agency, Dr. Susan Hopkins, said she expected more monkeypox cases to be identified in the country “on a daily basis.” Also read: Monkeypox usually self-limiting but may be severe in some individuals: WHO U.K. officials have said “a notable proportion” of the cases in Britain and Europe have been in young men with no history of travel to Africa and who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men. Authorities in Portugal and Spain also said their cases were in men who mostly had sex with other men and whose infections were picked up when they sought help for lesions at sexual health clinics. Heymann, who is also a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the monkeypox outbreak was likely a random event that might be traceable to a single infection. “It’s very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close, physical contact,” Heymann hypothesized. “And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the U.S. and other European countries.” He emphasized that the disease was unlikely to trigger widespread transmission. “This is not COVID,” he said. “We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it.” Heymann said studies should be conducted rapidly to determine if monkeypox could be spread by people without symptoms and that populations at risk of the disease should take precautions to protect themselves

There is a saying that “Jack of all trades, master of none”. While most people are doing well in their professional career, how many of them are truly an expert in their field? A study finds that one of the leading causes of high job turnover is due to lack of experience and expertise in the relevant sector. So, what will make a person love what s/he is doing? How can a person become a role model to others? And, finally, how can a person become a genuine expert in his/her chosen field? Let’s find out.  What makes an expert?  An expert is someone who holds considerable knowledge in a specific branch of knowledge. someone who is an authoritative figure in his/her relevant field, is also called an expert. The extent of knowledge and the means of their application determines the credibility of an expert.  Naturally, this is not something that happens overnight. Rather an expert only becomes an expert after going through a long and arduous process of proving competence and demonstrating exceptional skills.  Read Finding Success in a New Job: 9 Key Ways How to Become an Expert in a Specific Field? Below are some of the means to become an expert. However, none of these are shortcuts, and all of them require long-term commitment and dedication to see results. Practice Practice and More Practice  Malcolm Gladwell, the celebrated author of various non-fiction and self-development books opines that it takes 10,000 hours of continuous practice to become an expert in anything. This might seem like a pretty definitive way to expertise. However, a 40-hour workweek will still take 5 years to hit the 10,000-hour mark.  It is not easy to stay put in one goal. Most people will lose enthusiasm or get discouraged by failure. However, the key to becoming an expert is to bounce back from this and repeat until perfection. It is not just about practice, it is embracing a mindset to become the best. What follows in this process is perseverance, dedication, and a sense of discipline. These are the ultimate driving factors to standing out from the rest.  Read Remote Working: Pros and Cons Professional Networking with the Field Leaders  There are already established industry leaders regardless of the sector. These are the people who have shaped themselves and emerged as an authority in their relevant field. Networking with them will provide an insight into their mindset.  To become the best, it is important to stay surrounded by successful people. Every industry leader has an approach and growth pattern which makes them what they are. Engaging in conversation, asking the question, seeking guidance will help one to imitate one’s industry leaders’ thought process. Because adopting the best practice can develop a person as one of the most competent experts in his/her field. For more on professional networking, you can read our comprehensive guide here. Read Leader Vs Boss: Know the Differences Mentor a Mentee  There is no point in learning if it does not have a practical application. The process of mastering something is not limited to just learning. Rather, it is about perfecting the execution of the learning as well. One of the most effective ways to do that is to train a subordinate or someone looking for a mentor. The sharing of knowledge not only sets up a mentee for success in the field but also helps the mentor to engrave the earned knowledge and see its practical application. It is a win-win scenario in every way.  Read How to find your passion for a more fulfilling career? Practice Thought Leadership  How often is the status quo questioned? In most cases, the organizational culture becomes so ingrained that there is no question of overhauling it. There is no effort to change a thing or think of processes that might elevate the current standings. As a result, there arises a rut that ultimately prevents excelling opportunities.  A change can be initiated through leadership qualities, especially thought leadership. Thinking and initiating changes to the existing processes, rejecting the traditional norm, and introducing a shift from the standard practices eventually makes way for success. Because no great thing was achieved without taking a risk or doing what others generally won’t.  Read Best Ways to Lead Effective Team Meetings Get the Basics Right  While running to change the existing process to stand out from the rest, people often forget that some stuff is better left the way it is. The change proposition not only looks silly, but it also shows a lack of depth of knowledge. And this is precisely what should be avoided.  Becoming an expert starts from the basics. As a result, it's important to hone the basics to develop perfect decision-making capabilities. Strengthening the basic knowledge will eventually make way for better opportunities.  Draw Attention  This point can be interpreted in several ways. The process of learning and being an expert sees ultimate fruition when the knowledge is decimated for the benefit of the greater mass. An expert in a relevant field should demonstrate their expertise for the benefit of their professional community. Read Pandemic, Remote Working & Procrastination: How to avoid procrastination when working from home? They can be the torchbearer of change and influence others to take up the changing mentality. Start a discussion, raise voice and encourage deep-diving into a specific subject matter. The more there is a demonstration of expertise, the more recognition comes for the position as well as the relevant field.  Understand the Trends  Every sector regardless of the industry is dynamic. There is a constant change in day-to-day procedures and operations. It is an established notion that an expert is an unsaid leader in their sector. So, is it feasible for a leader to fall behind on the trend? Or adopt something that is already outdated? Of course not.  Read What makes a Great Manager: Know the Qualities and Skills A leader has to stay up to date with the changing dynamics and trends of the sector. This can be done through networking, reading, and analyzing the sectoral overviews. This is also where practice and learning come into play. To become an expert, practice the process of seamless blend with a changing environment. Because an expert is only deemed as an authority when they demonstrate successful transitional capability. Final Thoughts  The process of becoming an expert is not a tough thing, rather a time-consuming one. It requires utmost sincerity and dedication to learn and apply the learning. The trial-and-error nature of the process means it will take time to reach the desired level. However, the effort and sacrifices are well worth it considering the benefits of becoming an authoritative figure in a relevant field.  Read How to improve your productivity and efficiency at Work?

Although the Covid infection rate continues to fall signalling the control of the second wave in Bangladesh, experts think there is no room for complacency as they fear the third wave of the virus may hit the country anytime. They said the ongoing cluster transmission in different areas, lowering of guard by the government, public apathy to wear masks and health safety rules, low pace in vaccination and the reopening of educational institutions can be the main reasons behind the possible third wave of the coronavirus. As India may also witness the third wave of the pandemic in October, the analysts say it may have an impact on Bangladesh as a close neighbourning country. Also read: FM reiterates call for removing Bangladesh from UK's Covid red list They, however, said Bangladesh can avoid the Covid third wave by intensifying virus control measures, especially in the areas where the infection rate is still high, encouraging people to maintain health safety rules, and wear masks and strengthening the vaccination drive.

Though the Coronavirus spread had come almost under control in Dhaka nearly a month back, the national capital is reemerging as the hotspot for the deadly virus transmission and fatalities. Health experts said the highly transmissible Delta or Indian variant has speared in Dhaka as the government took time to stop inter-district transport services when it was spreading fast in frontier areas. The high density of population in the capital and people’s apathy toward wearing masks, and maintaining health safety rules are also the major reasons why the virus transmission is spreading so fast in Dhaka. They said ensuring speedy contact tracing, isolation of the infected people and intensifying the lockdown ensuring people’s involvement are necessary to break the transmission cycle while better hospital management, including setting up field hospitals, can reduce the fatality rate.  Also read:Bangladesh unlikely to reach Covid herd immunity anytime soon: Expert Frightening situation According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), over 89,000 Covid cases were identified while 1421 patients died of the virus in the past 10 days. The country reported 11,525 cases on Tuesday and 11,162 ones on Wednesday across the country. Of them, 3,715 or 32.23 percent patients were found in Dhaka city on Tuesday and 3,285 patients or 29.43 percent on Wednesday. But the Covid positivity rate in Dhaka city was just 3.45% in early June.