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LESOTHO ON ALERT ABOUT MONKEYPOX

The Ministry of Health says the country is in alert mode regarding the recent outbreak of Monkey Pox in different parts of the world.
According to the statement from the ministry, the National Risk Response Team (NRRT) will be conducting a risk assessment which will be followed up by the development of a contingency plan saying the plan and other guidelines will be communicated with District Management Officers for their preparedness and response.
It states that the ministry has received information from the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of Monkey Pox from different parts of the world which is said to be endemic in West, East and Central Africa with at least 150 cases reported to date affecting different countries all of which are not endemic.
It adds therefore that this makes it a highly unusual event which warrants all countries to be vigilant.
The statement indicates that in the meantime WHO has developed key messages and recommended response measures which can be utilized by the health professionals and be used to educate the public.
On the other hand, WHO stated that the recommended response measures include intensive public health measures that should continue in the countries that have identified cases.
In addition to contact tracing and source tracing, case searching and local rash illness surveillance should be strengthened in the affected and wider community as well as in primary and secondary health care settings. Any patient with suspected Monkeypox should be investigated and isolated and provided with care during the presumed and known infectious periods that is during the prodromal and rash stages of the illness respectively.
Other countries should be on the alert for signals related to patients presenting with unusual vesicular or pustular rash often associated with fever in a range of community and health care settings including but not limited to primary care, fever clinics, sexual health services and dermatology clinics. Travellers should be encouraged to report illness during travel or upon return to a health professional including information about all recent travel and immunization history.
Moreover, residents and travellers to endemic countries should be advised to avoid contact with sick animals (dead or alive) that could harbour the Monkey Pox virus (rodents, marsupials, primates) and should refrain from eating or handling wild game (bushmeat). The importance of hand hygiene by using soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer should be emphasized.
Furthermore, health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Monkeypox should receive recommendations to implement standard, contact and droplet infection control precautions. Samples taken from people with suspected Monkeypox or animals with suspected Monkeypox virus infection should be handled by trained staff working in suitably equipped laboratories.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus which includes the variola (smallpox) virus as well as the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox vaccine.
Transmission of monkeypox virus occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract, or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth).
Source: LENA 26/05/2022
 

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