The Ministry of Health & Wellness says it has noted the declaration of Mpox as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) and wishes to alert the country that while there are presently no cases of Mpox reported, members of the public should take the necessary precautions to safeguard themselves from this disease.
Mpox is a rare disease that is similar to smallpox and can be transmitted by contact and droplet exposure.
According to Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie, “Persons must report to the health department if fever and rash occurs following recent international travel or close contact with persons who travelled within the preceding three weeks. Healthcare workers are also to have a heightened sense of awareness of this illness and report suspected cases to the parish health department.”
In countries where Mpox is endemic:• Human to human transmission of Mpox occurs by contact and dropletexposure via exhaled large droplets.• The incubation period of Mpox is usually from 6 to 13 days but can rangefrom 5 to 21 days.• Symptoms can be mild or severe, and associated with skin rash that can bevery itchy or painful. Severe disease may be fatal.• The disease is often self-limiting with symptoms usually resolvingspontaneously within 14 to 21 days.• Symptoms include fever, chills, intense headaches, exhaustion, backache,muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes, and rash.• Children are at higher risk, and Mpox during pregnancy may lead tocomplications, congenital Mpox or stillbirth• The virus is normally found in animals, but the disease may be transmittedfrom animals to humans, usually through bites or scratches or consumptionof bush meat.
• Milder cases of Mpox may go undetected and represent a risk of person-to-person transmission. There is likely to be little immunity to the infection in
those travelling. For more information on Mpox, please contact your parish health department orcall 888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683), the health ministry stated in a release.
