Angola’s Ministry of Health has confirmed that the first case of Monkeypox in the country has been registered, in a woman from Congo who is now in isolation, along with people close to her, at the facilities of the Specialised Centre for the Treatment of Endemics and Pandemics (CETEP).
According to a news release from the Ministry of Health, the case in the 28-year-old woman was confirmed in Luanda province.
Measures to disinfect contaminated areas, identify and trace contacts and carry out in-depth epidemiological investigations are underway to protect the population, the statement adds.
The disease, also known as Mpox, manifests itself through fever, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes and generalised rashes (spots, lesions or blisters on the skin) or lesions on the mucous membranes.
The incubation period for the disease ranges from five to 21 days.
The disease is transmitted from person to person through close contact with secretions, or contact with the skin lesions of an infected person or contaminated objects and surfaces.
Angola’s health authorities recommend that the public adopt and reinforce preventive measures to reduce the risk of transmission of this disease, reinforcing hygiene practices, namely frequent hand washing and the use of disinfectants in public areas and homes.
They are also advised to avoid physical contact with people showing signs and symptoms of the disease, as well as with materials and utensils used by them, and to use personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, for people in close contact with confirmed or suspected cases.
“If any of the above symptoms are detected, people should immediately go to the nearest health unit,” the Ministry of Health also urges, guaranteeing “the commitment to inform about the epidemiological situation of this disease” and appealing to society “to remain calm and serene.”
Lusa
