NewsDesk @bactiman63

Panama Health Minister Luis Francisco Sucre announced to the country that the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies (ICGES) confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the national territory.

Image/CDC

The infected person is a 30-year-old man who has been confined in an isolation room at the San Miguel Arcángel Hospital.

General director of public health, Melva Cruz, stated that the patient’s condition is stable, he is progressing very well.

Sucre called on the population not to be alarmed and remain calm, since this disease is not so easily transmitted, let’s just continue with biosecurity measures.

General director of the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies (ICGES) Juan Pascale said that the samples taken from the patient confirmed that it is the West African variant, which is the least serious.

Monkeypox is a virus that is transmitted by direct or indirect contact with blood, body fluids and its symptoms include fever, headache, swollen glands, lumbar pain, muscle pain and lack of energy.

The symptoms of this disease can last from 5 to 21 days. The WHO explained that monkeypox infection can be divided into two stages. The first is incubation, which can last from zero to 5 days. The second, of skin rash, which can vary between one to three days, after the onset of fever. This skin condition usually affects the face in 95% of cases; 75% the palms of the hands and feet.

Other symptoms of this disease are: headache, sudden onset of fever, myalgia, back pain, asthenia and lymphadenopathy (enlarged nodes).

The recommendations to prevent infections are hand washing, not sharing personal items and isolation.