Nkosentsha Khumalo
The City of Bulawayo is on high alert as Zimbabwe has confirmed two cases of Mpox in Harare and Mberengwa.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, in a press release, confirmed the cases and assured the public that the patients are isolated and receiving appropriate care.
While the cases were reported in other parts of the country, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) urged residents and visitors to the city to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
During an interview with Zim GBC News on Tuesday, the City of Bulawayo Corporate Communications Manager, Nesisa Mpofu urged residents to avoid direct contact with infected persons or animals, particularly those with body fluids, lesions, or respiratory droplets.
“The City of Bulawayo is on high alert for monkeypox, as we are aware of the ongoing outbreak in the neighbouring country, South Africa, as well as in other countries in Central and West Africa.
“We are also aware that there’s been cases reported within our own nation. Monkeypox is characterized by fever, headache, muscle aches, solid lymph nodes, and a rash that develops into fluid-filled blisters. It is spread through close contact, and we are asking our residents and visitors to this great city of Bulawayo to be very much alert when engaging with an infected person or animal, as they are bound to spread the disease.”
“Monkeypox is spread through person-to-person transmission, and we are calling upon our residents to avoid direct contact with body fluids, to ensure that they don’t have skin lesions.”
Mpofu also urged Bulawayo residents to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets when coughing, which may come from an infected person, or infect someone and pass on to the next person.
She discouraged prolonged face-to-face contact when coughing or sneezing and also urged residents to avoid contact with infected persons that have rash or sores on their skins.
“It is also possible to get monkeypox from animals through animal-to-human transmission. Infected animals, such as rodents, can pass on monkeypox to humans and can be transmitted to other animals.
“Residents are urged to avoid handling or eating poorly cooked meat from these infected animals. We are advising the public that monkeypox can be spread through indirect contact so items such as bathing clothing or surfaces can be contaminated with the virus of an infected person or animal. It is therefore important to avoid close contact with infected individuals clothing as well as the animal that is affected by Monkeypox and we are calling upon all residents to continue practicing good hygiene practices so as to avoid the spread of the disease
“Those that come to close contact with someone who’s infected with monkeypox are at risk, particularly people like health care workers, caregivers and those treating infected patients and those that are travelling in and out of our boarders should be wary of the cases that we have in other places.
Mpofu advised residents to seek medical attention as soon as they have any of those symptoms or have been in contact with a family or another person who is unwell and infected with monkeypox.
“Let’s protect our families, let’s protect our community, let’s protect our city.”
The Ministry of Health and Child Care recently confirmed two cases of Monkeypox in the country, one in Harare and the other in Mberengwa.
The first case, an 11-year-old boy from Harare, had recently traveled to South Africa and returned to Zimbabwe on the 10th of September. The boy developed symptoms on the 23rd of September and was found to be infected with Monkeypox.
The second case of Monkeypox was reported in the rural district of Mberengwa. The patient, a 24-year-old male, had traveled to Tanzania on the 14th of September and returned to Zimbabwe on the 21st of September.
He developed symptoms on the 29th of September and was also found to be infected with Monkeypox.
Both patients are currently isolated at home and receiving appropriate care. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has assured the public that the patients are stable and recovering.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care wishes to inform the nation that Zimbabwe now has two (2) confirmed cases of Mpox: one in Harare and another in Mberengwa. Both cases are in isolation at home, and are receiving appropriate care.
“Both cases are stable and recovering. Mpох (formerly known as Monkeypox) was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) on the 13th of August 2024. It was then declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) by World Health Organization (WHO) on the 14th of August 2024.”
“In Africa, there are 7535 confirmed cumulative cases of Mpox and 32 deaths reported so far in 2024,” reads the statement.
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection caused by the Monkeypox virus, which is endemic to Central and West Africa. It spreads through close contact with people, animals, or materials infected with the virus.
The symptoms typically develop over 2-4 weeks and include fever, rash, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and respiratory symptoms.
The incubation period of Monkeypox is usually 3 to 21 days, and the disease is normally self-limiting, resolving on its own between three (3) to Four (4) weeks. However, it can be severe in individuals with compromised immunity and other co-morbidities.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has also provided the following prevention measures:
°Avoid contact with individuals showing symptoms
°Avoid sharing clothes, bedding, and other personal items with persons showing symptoms
°Isolate persons showing symptoms from others who could be at risk of infection
°Practice good personal hygiene including frequent hand washing with soap under running water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers
°Avoid sexual contact with persons showing symptoms
°Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for infected persons
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care wishes to reassure the public that the situation is under control and urges the Zimbabwean public not to panic. Any persons with symptoms are urged to report to the nearest Hospital.”
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