NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS) reported Wednesday afternoon the first imported case of monkeypox in a 25-year-old young man of Dominican nationality, who recently returned to the country, from the USA; and he is isolated in the Doctor Ramón de Lara Teaching Hospital, where he receives the pertinent treatment.

Image/CDC

The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, urged the population not to be alarmed since the disease is transmitted through very close contact with an affected person, and epidemiological surveillance has been intensified.

Rivera said that there will be no restrictions regarding the entry of travelers, but that epidemiological surveillance will continue. While he called the medical staff to report any suspected case that comes to his consultations.

“The exhortation is the same as what we have said before, that there is no danger of open contagion like the COVID disease, it is not through the air but not in an open space, but there must be a very direct link, with the affected person,” he said. Rivera.

He stressed that “there is no danger” because local measures are being taken, and there will be no flight restrictions, but those who come from anywhere in the world, mainly from Europe and the United States, must do the same as the young man, who He immediately contacted the doctors or they should call the General Directorate of Epidemiology in case of any suspicion.

The details of the case were offered by 1st Lt. infectious disease doctor, José Ureña Vázquez, who treats the patient and who explained that he has been treated since June 28, when he went to the center, when notified from the United States, of having had contact with an affected person.

However, he indicated that he has responded satisfactorily, although he has rashes in various areas of his body.

“It is a self-limited disease, as it responds, the disease has an incubation period of 21 days and has already been receiving treatment for 11 days, to which it has responded and remains stable,” said the doctor.

The patient has had contact with four of his relatives, but none have presented symptoms, and they are under observation.

The confirmation was made through PCR tests, at the Doctor Defilló National Laboratory, the only one authorized to carry out this test, indicated the Minister of Health.

Dr. Ronalds Skewes, director of Epidemiology, explained that as it is a disease with mandatory notification, once a suspected case is detected, the information mechanisms between the country links are activated, in accordance with those established by the RSI International Health Regulations.

“In this case, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already been notified, which is the national public health agency of the United States, so that they can do contact tracing,” he said.