Kingston, Jamaica (TDN)
The first known case of monkeypox has been recorded in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the announcement at an emergency press conference in Kingston on 6 July 2022.
Dr. Tufton reported a male individual who traveled from the United Kingdom five days ago presented to the public health system on July 5, with clear symptons of the monkeypox.
The patient is currently in isolation and his close contacts have been quarantined following contact tracing conducted by the Ministry of Health.
Monkeypox can spread to people when they come into physical contact with an infected animal. Traditionally, monkeypox is transmitted from person to person either through direct or indirect contact with the rash, bodily fluids (such as fluid, pus, or blood from skin lesions), and scabs.
Clothing, bedding, towels, or objects like eating utensils that have been contaminated with the virus from contact with an infected person can also infect others.
The virus can also spread from someone who is pregnant to the fetus from the placenta, or from an infected parent to child during or after birth through skin-to-skin contact. It is not clear whether people who do not have symptoms can spread the disease.
There are no specific treatments for monkeypox virus infection. Monkeypox symptoms often resolve on their own without the need for treatment. Outbreaks of the infectious disease have recently been reported in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa.
In view of the lone case of monkeypox in Jamaica, health authorities are warning party-goers in particular to observe the well-established protocols in order to reduce the likelihood of spreading monkeypox and COVID-19.
