"Monkeypox is growing in Colombia": Ministry of Health - Health

Given the proven circulation of monkeypox in the country, where 84 cases have already been registered as of August 11, The Ministry of Health and Social Protection warns that during the next weekend there may be greater circulation of the virus, due to the holding of events with a large influx of people from different cities and countries.

(Keep reading: Monkeypox: these are the data that still have no answer)

In this sense, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection reiterates the call to extreme self-care measures to avoid contagion and, in addition, the importance of frequent hand washing and the use of face masks is emphasized.

(Also: 40% of monkeypox patients suffer from complications)

Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, nor is it exclusive to one population group. Which means that the use of condoms is not enough to prevent the spread of the disease. Sexual intercourse creates the ideal circumstances for transmission to occur.

(Also read: Monkeypox: Colombia registers 55 cases of contagion)

Other ways of transmitting the virus are:

– Directly, such as kissing, hugging, licking, having face-to-face contact, generalized skin-to-skin caresses or touching and rubbing the patient’s lesions.

– Indirectly, when personal items are touched or shared such as: cell phones, clothing, sheets, vapers, cigarettes, cups, drinks, towels, cutlery, brushes and any other item or surface that may have been in contact with the injuries. the skin of a sick person.

The virus can be acquired by a healthy person in two ways: because it absorbs fluids in small droplets through the respiratory tract; or because the virus that is in the fluids that came into contact with the skin has the ability to cross healthy skin. Therefore, it can be contracted by a person of any age.

If you suspect the infection, you should go to the health services, because only the health services can diagnose it through a laboratory test. It is important that the patient collaborates with the report by providing true data of all her contacts.

(You may be interested in: Resolution approved for access to monkeypox vaccine in America)

In this regard, the Minister of Health, Carolina Corcho, mentioned that “We can prevent the spread of monkeypox, which is different from covid-19. For this reason, it is necessary to find out what the symptoms of this disease are in order to go to time to the health services that are the only ones that can make this type of diagnosis. It is also very important that if you have the disease, you self-isolate for 21 days and sincerely inform your contacts and the health authority.”