AMMAN — The first case of
monkeypox was recorded
in Jordan this week, raising public concern over the spread of the viral
disease across the Kingdom.
اضافة اعلان
The case involved a 30-year-old Jordanian, who had
been traveling outside the country for an extended period. The disease was
detected upon his return home this week.
Adel Al-Belbeisi, adviser to the prime minister for
health affairs and also in charge of the COVID-19 dossier in Jordan, said that
Jordanians should not be alarmed about a spread of the disease.
“There is no alarming concern regarding the spread
of monkeypox in the near future in Jordan,” he told
Jordan News. He
explained that “monkeypox it is not a respiratory disease that would spread via
aerosol droplets or airborne transmission, and therefore, it does not spread
easily.”
He explained that the monkeypox virus spreads
through “close skin to skin contact with an infected individual, and is most
contagious when skin blisters are visible.”
“We can say that the spread between people, in this
case, is harder than the transfer through respiratory, and thus, it cannot be
spread easily,” Belbeisi said.
He explained that “symptoms of the disease go
through two stages.”
“In the first stage, which is between three to five
days, symptoms include a rise in temperature, sore throat, muscle pain and a
swelling of lymph nodes glands,” he said. “In the second stage, a skin lesion
rash would develop.”
“We usually take a sample of the lesion and run a
PCR test to determine if it is monkeypox virus or not”, he pointed out.
He asserted that, in case of infection, “there are
no specific medications to be prescribed, but, it would require antiviral
medications. Mostly though medications used to alleviate the symptoms.”
“In most cases, the patient requires self-healing
and the period of recovery takes approximately four weeks from the time of
infection”, he explained.
Belbeisi noted that “those who have been previously
vaccinated against smallpox are protected from monkeypox.”
“Infants who are yet to be vaccinated, or those who
have not been vaccinated are not immune from getting infected with the virus.
Those who are in the process of being vaccinated should be aware”, he said.
According to Belbeisi, precautionary measures used
to prevent infection would include “following usual health procedure protocols
to protect oneself from the disease, as well as maintaining personal hygiene
and cleanliness, keeping physical distance, and most importantly, getting
tested.”
monkeypox it is not a respiratory disease that would spread via aerosol droplets or airborne transmission, and therefore, it does not spread easily.
He said “we are currently working on educating
people and raising awareness about this disease, what it is and how it is
transmitted.”
In a related development, a member of the National
Committee for Epidemiology Najwa Khoury said monkeypox is spreading faster than
before due to facilitated travel
measures and an increase in Safari tourism, according to Ammon News.
According to the
World Health Organization (WHO), a
new variant occurred on the virus, which could lead to it becoming more
dangerous and quickly to spread, Khoury said, adding the new characteristics of
the new variant are still under examination.
She explained that the transmission of monkeypox
happens through close contact, “that is, skin-to-skin contact” or direct
contact with the animal, noting that a “PCR” test will reveal whether someone
has the infection.
“Those who received a smallpox vaccine, which was
widespread in the world previously, ... will have immunity from monkeypox
infection by 70–80 percent, because both viruses have shared characteristics,”
according to Khoury, who highlighted that smallpox became extinct in 1970
through a vaccination campaign.
She pointed out that treatment for monkeypox is
available and given to people at high risk, and treatment is available at the
WHO, while it is supplied to countries as necessary.
Khoury said that the death rate from monkeypox
reaches 3 to 6 percent, stressing that the health system in Jordan is one of
the best in the world, and is able to deal with the disease.
She added that all medical staff must have
information on how to deal with monkeypox cases or suspected cases and how to
obtain the necessary samples, so that the disease can be quickly identified and
controlled.
The
Ministry of Health stressed that all its cadres
should be aware of monkeypox and the
diagnosis methods, especially those working in health centers, calling for
raising awareness about it, through the ministry’s website and social media
platforms.
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