August 20, 2024
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has urged vigilance by Caribbean countries after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.
The August 14 global alert followed an upsurge of infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries.
The WHO declaration was the second mpox global alert in two years.
The first occurred in July 2022 and was lifted in May 2023.
Clade I, which is more transmissible and causes more severe illness, is responsible for the current Mpox outbreak.
However, CARPHA said in a release that there are no reports of clade 1b mpox cases in the Caribbean and neighbouring countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Latin America.
“CARPHA is monitoring the situation closely. The current risk to Caribbean population from mpox clade 1b is low to moderate, as no cases of mpox have been identified in the CARPHA Member States,” ad interim Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar stated.
However, she noted the identification of the first case of clade 1b outside of Africa.
Indar said that constituted a warning call for vigilance and enhanced surveillance by all Caribbean countries, including monitoring incoming passengers.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that can spread easily between people and from infected animals.
According to CARPHA, it can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as during sex, and through contaminated materials like sheets, and clothing used by an infected person.
The regional health agency explained that common mpox symptoms are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
The WHO has approved two mpox vaccines, and the CARPHA Medical Microbiology Laboratory has established mpox virus testing capacity.
Additionally, CARPHA’s Acting Director of Surveillance, Disease Control, and Prevention, Dr. Horace Cox, disclosed that the agency was collaborating with regional public health partners to respond to any surge in mpox cases in the Region.