Mpox
Maputo, 4 Aug (AIM) – Th Mozambican health authorities have recorded the first case of the disease M-pox (formerly known as monkey pox) in the southern Maputo province, and 11 new cases in the Northern Province of Niassa.
According to the daily update bulletin on M-pox, issued by the National Public Health Directorate, the total number of confirmed cases in the country has increased from 17 to 29. These new cases were confirmed over the weekend.
“Three new suspected cases emerged in the last 24 hours. Niassa province has one suspect case; Cabo Delgado (one case), and Maputo province (one case). The authorities are now conducting investigations and laboratory results are awaited”, reads the document.
The report also reveals that 17 tests were conducted between July 11th and August 2nd, of which six were positive, all in Lago district, Niassa province. “The cases are distributed across the administrative posts of Cobué (3), Maniamba (2), and Metangula (1).”
According to the document, the country has already traced 86 contacts, with 45 suspected cases and 26 positive cases in home isolation. Since the outbreak began in July, 151 samples have been analyzed.
In order to avoid further cases of Mpox transmission, the health authorities are calling on people to avoid physical contact with infected patients or those with suspected symptoms, to wash their hands frequently, and not to share personal items such as clothes or towels.
Recently, the National Health Institute (INS) announced that although the country has no vaccine to respond to the M-pox outbreak, there is no risk of it becoming a pandemic.
M-pox is a viral disease, transmitted from animals to human beings, which was first identified in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The current outbreak in Africa has been reported in 22 countries. I the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, the countries affected are the DRC, Angola, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and now Mozambique.
(AIM)
Ad/pf (331)
…
