Monitoring and preventing smallpox at the border gate

May 25, 2022 14:01 GMT+7

In order to actively monitor monkeypox cases and promptly implement epidemic prevention and control measures, minimizing the number of cases and deaths, the Ministry of Health proposes the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct The Department of Health and related units implement the following contents.

Firstly, proactively monitor and detect suspected cases at border gates, especially those returning from countries where monkeypox is endemic.

Second, strengthen surveillance to detect cases of the disease at medical facilities in the area, coordinate with the Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur to diagnose and identify cases.

Illustrations

Third, actively communicate and raise people’s awareness about monkeypox and measures to prevent and control the epidemic as recommended by health authorities.

Monkeypox was first detected in monkeys in 1958. The first human case was reported in 1970 in Congo.

Monkeypox can be transmitted from person to person through close contact, through wounds, bodily fluids, droplets, and through contact with contaminated objects such as blankets and pillows. The disease is often severe in children, pregnant women or immunocompromised people.

The incubation period is 5 to 21 days (usually 6 to 13 days). Monkeypox presents with symptoms similar to smallpox, but is more common with systemic skin lesions and enlarged lymph nodes.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from the first case of monkeypox detected in the UK on May 13 to May 21, there were 92 cases of disease, 28 suspected cases and 92 suspected cases. no deaths have been recorded.

The detected cases did not have a history of travel from an endemic area and the countries where the case was reported had no previous endemicity of monkeypox.

The cases have been identified as West African monkeypox virus and are similar to the virus that was transmitted from Nigeria to several countries in 2018, 2019. WHO forecasts that monkeypox epidemics will continue to increase. increase the number of cases in the near future.

N. Huyen