– as Guyana records second case

THE second case of Monkeypox has been confirmed in Guyana, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony during his daily update on Monday.
Minister Anthony following the announcement, urged citizens to take the necessary steps to safeguard themselves against the virus.

“We have diagnosed a second person with Monkeypox. That person is now at Ocean View Hospital receiving treatment. The person is stable and we have started doing contact tracing for that person.
“People need to take precautions. If you have somebody with rashes, you should call the health authorities so that we can have somebody go out there and examine what it is and be able to guide the person,” Dr. Anthony said.

The minister in his update assured citizens that the ministry is doing all in its remit to ensure that the virus is contained here in Guyana.
“So, we have had several calls, we checked it, we ran tests and many of those persons, fortunately, did not have Monkeypox,” he stated.

Guyana confirmed its first Monkeypox case on August 22, 2022. The index case was identified as a male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who is currently in his 50s.
It was revealed that this patient did not have a recent travel history; he started developing signs of Monkeypox and showed up at the hospital.

“We have since isolated the patient. So, that patient is now in an isolated area at the Ocean View Hospital, and that patient is stable and is doing very well,” Minister Anthony said previously.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease. Symptoms include fever, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle ache, and a rash that blisters and crusts.

The rash tends to be concentrated on the face, palm of the hands, and soles of the feet. The mouth, genitals, and eyes may also be affected.
The symptoms can be mild or severe and generally last for several weeks during which time a person can be infectious to others. Most people recover within a few weeks without treatment.