The Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, today called for prevention measures to be reinforced in the face of positive cases of the mpox virus in Mozambique’s neighbouring countries.
‘We will continue to [take measures] because our neighbours on the other side already have one or two cases,’ said the head of state, during the inauguration of the Beira General Hospital, in Sofala, central Mozambique.
The President said that the Mozambican Ministry of Health is concerned and will endeavour to curb the outbreak of possible cases of mpox in the country, reinforcing the call for measures to prevent the disease.
‘I’ve already explained that the measures are almost the same as for covid-19: wash your hands, avoid hugging in any way and use alcohol [to disinfect]. As we already know, alcohol has entered our fashion and even after COVID-19 we got into the habit of washing our hands,’ said Filipe Nyusi.
More than 22,800 cases and at least 622 deaths from mpox have been recorded since January in 13 African countries, including South Africa, Mozambique’s neighbour, the African Union confirmed on Tuesday.
The Mozambican Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the country still has no positive cases of mpox, following analyses of seven suspected cases of the disease recorded between 14 and 26 August, which came back negative.
Although there are no cases in the country, the Mozambican health authorities have set up health checkpoints in Zambézia, the central province, and will create isolation centres to prevent possible cases in Sofala and Maputo.
The Mozambican National Health Institute (INS) also told Lusa on Monday that it is at maximum laboratory readiness to test suspected cases of mpox in the country, believing that it can respond to any demand.
‘In terms of testing, we are at maximum laboratory readiness. We have the capacity to increase our capacity and our dynamics if necessary, but the number of suspects [is still] low, we don’t think that in the short term that’s our concern,’ said INS national director Eduardo Samo Gudo.
This is the second time in two years that the infectious disease has been considered a potential threat to international health, the first alert having been lifted in May, after the spread had been contained and the situation was considered under control.
Lusa
