Sierra Leone confirms first Mpox case after global health alert

Freetown, Jan 11 Sierra Leone has recorded its first case of Mpox since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern in August last year, the country's health authorities have announced.

According to a statement by Sierra Leone's National Public Health Agency (NPHA), the infected individual is a 27-year-old man from the Western Area Rural District.

Swift actions are being taken by health teams to conduct thorough contact tracing and investigations to identify potential exposures and prevent further transmission of the virus, the statement said.

Health authorities have activated the incident command system to effectively manage and contain the outbreak. Measures include isolating the patient and providing necessary medical care in a secure environment, conducting extensive contact tracing, and monitoring identified contacts for 21 days.

Moreover, the statement said that Sierra Leone is partnering with international organisations, including the WHO, for technical and logistical support, Xinhua news agency reported.

The NPHA urged the public to remain calm, stay vigilant and adhere to established health guidelines, emphasizing that collective efforts are crucial to controlling the outbreak and safeguarding the nation's well-being.

In August, 2024, the WHO declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.

The ongoing global outbreak of clade II monkeypox has caused more than 100,000 cases in 122 total countries, including 115 countries where monkeypox was not previously reported.

Also known as Mpox, it is an infectious disease that can lead to symptoms such as a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and fatigue. While most people recover completely, some may experience severe illness.

Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family.

This family also includes variola, cowpox, vaccinia, and other viruses. The virus exists in two main clades: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).

It primarily spreads from person to person through close contact with an infected individual, including within households.

Close contact can involve skin-to-skin interactions (such as touching or sexual activity), as well as mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact.

It can also spread through face-to-face interactions, where breathing or talking close to one another may generate infectious respiratory particles.

Source: IANS