TRNC Medical Association raises Monkey-pox alarm: Calls for inspection at airport and seaports

The TRNC Medical Association has warned that checks should be carried out at entry points to the country due to monkeypox global outbreak, which has reached alarming proportions.

The Turkish Cypriot Medical Association drew attention to the fact that the World Health Organization declared that monkeypox infection constitutes a public health emergency of international concern emphasizing that controls should be carried out at the entrances to the country regarding monkeypox.

The following was highlighted in the statement:

"It was stated that this decision was taken due to the increasing number of monkeypox cases with the new variant in African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, the Central African Republic, Rwanda and Uganda and the possible risk of spreading outside the continent.

Monkeypox has similar symptoms to smallpox, but milder symptoms. The mortality rate is reported to be 4-5% in adults and 10% in children. Children under the age of 1, those with a weak immune system, those with a history of eczema, and pregnant women are at higher risk.

It presents clinically with fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, enlarged lymph nodes, chills and rash.

The rash begins on the face 1-3 days after the fever begins, then spreads throughout the body. The rash begins as flat, red spots, then turns into blisters, pustules, and eventually heals by crusting.

Monkeypox virus is transmitted to humans from animals, from person to person, and through contaminated surfaces. Mpox, which has a high risk of transmission, can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, close skin-to-skin contact, talking, or breathing.

To protect yourself, it is important to stay away from infected people and animals and wash your hands after possible contact.

Although monkeypox is usually mild, it can cause serious health problems, including death. For this reason, patients must be isolated to prevent the spread of the disease.

In order to take the necessary precautions, the Ministry of Health should convene the Infectious Diseases High Committee with a special agenda on monkeypox and present a roadmap as soon as possible. Especially, it is necessary for the people and students who will come to our country from the countries where Mpox is seen in the new academic year to be examined in this respect due to possible infections in order to prevent a possible epidemic in our country. 

The Ministries of Health and Interior should organize and start implementing the necessary checks urgently.