Using COVID-19 measures to prevent the spread of monkeypox: South Africa’s Health Ministry

Worldwide

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Johannesburg, Jun 29: South Africa’s Well being Ministry has urged residents to stay extra vigilant and introduced a raft of measures much like these imposed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic after the nation reported the second case of the monkeypox viral illness.

On Tuesday, a 32-year-old male from Cape City within the nation’s Western Province, with no journey historical past, was reported to have been contaminated with the virus, suggesting the potential of native transmission. South Africa reported the primary case of monkeypox final week, additionally in a younger male, with no journey historical past.

South Africa’s Well being Minister Joe Phaahla mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday that whereas the World Well being Organisation (WHO) has not advisable any journey restrictions, it was essential for travellers to endemic nations to alert well being officers on the scenario to allow them to supply steerage for case detection and administration.

To implement these measures, port well being officers proceed as they did throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with multi-layered screening, which incorporates visible commentary, temperature screening, and completion and evaluation of travellers’ well being questionnaires when getting into the nation via ports of entry (airports, border gates, and seaports) for early detection and profitable remedy.

“The supply and linkage of instances stay beneath investigation and the Division of Well being is working with the Nationwide Institute of Communicable Ailments to always assess the danger for native transmission in collaboration with the WHO according to the Worldwide Well being Laws,” the assertion mentioned.

“The well being officers will proceed with contact tracing whereas intently monitoring the scenario and alert clinicians on signs to search for, and if the scientific image suits with monkeypox, they’re urged to finish case investigation kind and ship samples for testing,” it mentioned. The minister additionally urged anybody with signs much like monkeypox to report back to their nearest healthcare facility for early detection and profitable remedy.

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“The division will maintain the nation abreast on the progress of contact tracing and surveillance actions,” it added. In accordance with the US Centres for Illness Management and Prevention, there are at the moment greater than 4,300 instances of monkeypox globally, of which the bulk are in Europe. Though the illness has been endemic in elements of Africa for many years, vaccines haven’t been used to stamp out earlier outbreaks there.

Most monkeypox sufferers expertise solely fever, physique aches, chills, and fatigue. Individuals with extra critical diseases could develop a rash and lesions on the face and fingers that may unfold to different elements of the physique. Most individuals contaminated with monkeypox get well inside weeks without having medical care however the illness may be extra extreme in weak populations, like pregnant girls and youngsters. The WHO determined final week to not declare monkeypox a world emergency, however has mentioned it’s engaged on a vaccine-sharing mechanism that some worry might see vaccines go to wealthy nations just like the UK that have already got their very own stockpiles. PTI