The health ministry has reiterated its position on triggering surveillance measures instead of the world’s monkeypox outbreak, especially now that neighboring South Africa announced its first case yesterday.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis that can be transmitted through respiratory secretions, skin lesions and contaminated objects. Typical signs are scabs and swollen lymph nodes.
Health Minister Dr Columbi Shangula said prevention was mainly through educating the public about how the disease is transmitted so that people can take precautions.
“Namibia has not registered a case of monkeypox, but it is ready to identify the cases and has the ability to confirm monkeypox through laboratory diagnostics. The public must remain calm,” he said confidently.
South African Health Minister Joe Fahla confirmed yesterday that the country had detected the first case of monkeypox through laboratory tests.
“The patient is a 30-year-old man from Johannesburg who has no travel history, which means that this cannot be attributed to acquisitions outside South Africa. Working with the relevant health authorities, a contact tracking process has begun,” Phaahla said.
The disease has been previously reported in African countries such as Nigeria, the DRC, the Central African Republic and Ghana in the early 2000s.
“The current outbreak is dominated by large numbers in Europe, such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Portugal and France. Cases have also been reported in the United States and Canada. “The National Institute of Infectious Diseases conducts online on-the-job training for our healthcare professionals so that they can detect the disease so that the necessary laboratory tests can be done,” he said.
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“The disease is spread only through narrow droplets, so you can’t get it when you’re in the same room with an infected person. So far, it has been dominant in men who have sat with men, but the main feature is that the transmission takes place through close contact. “
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that monkeypox is spread in different ways. The virus can be spread from person to person through direct contact with an infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids; respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact or during intimate physical contact such as kissing, cuddling or sex; and touching objects (such as clothing or underwear) that have previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids. It is also claimed that expectant mothers can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.
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