Health Ministry beefs up  monkeypox checks

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) confirmed Saturday, May 28, that it reinforced epidemiological surveillance at the points of entry into the country due to the health alert issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the appearance of cases of monkeypox in 12 European countries.

In Panama,  to date, no suspected case of the disease has been detected, which is present in Australia, the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and Argentina. To date, 200 confirmed cases have been reported in the world, most of them in Spain and Portugal.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease and was discovered in 1970. It is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals however, person-to-person transmission is possible, but is considered rare.

For this reason, Minsa organized a meeting with the national and regional health directors of both the Social Security Fund and the Minsa with the purpose of aligning strategies and adopting preventive measures related to the possible arrival in Panamanian territory of the virus.

Yelkis Gill, director of Health Provision of the Minsa, said that among the points discussed is the comprehensive approach provided to the patient.

In addition, “effective” communication that must be given within the health regions and the reinforcement at the entry points were emphasized.

Meawhile it seeks to adapt r isolation rooms in hospitals located in health regions throughout the country.

Health Alert
The Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, declared a health alert due to the possible appearance of monkeypox.

Sucre detailed at that time that the health alert establishes the obligation for health personnel in public hospitals of the Minsa and the Social Security Fund, as well as private hospitals, to report any person with suspicious symptoms of the disease.