NewsDesk @bactiman63

At a press conference, the Ministry of Health (Minsa), after an investigation carried out by the National Center for Epidemiology, Disease Prevention and Control (CDC-Peru), confirmed 12 new cases of monkeypox, bringing the total to 15 in the country.

Image/Robert Herriman

The Minister of Health, Jorge López Peña, reported that the age range of these infected people is between 20 and 36 years, and the confirmed cases are found in five districts of Metropolitan Lima: Surco, Jesús María, Pueblo Libre, Cercado de Lima. and San Martin de Porres.

“So far, only one patient is hospitalized for a comorbidity and a complication, the rest of the patients are stable, at home, under supervision and guidance by health personnel,” he said. 

López Peña pointed out that the Minsa is already executing the National Response Plan in the presence of monkeypox, recalling that through epidemiological alert no. 16-2022 of the CDC-Peru alerts all establishments in the country to strengthen the surveillance system in epidemiological investigation and adopt prevention and control measures. 

The minister indicated that Peru has sufficient evidence to rule out any suspected case of monkeypox, in addition to strengthening the laboratories of the National Institute of Health (INS), samples are processed in less than 24 hours. 

Likewise, the Minsa has allocated 21 highly complex beds for the treatment of serious cases in the Dos de Mayo, Cayetano Heredia, Villa El Salvador, Ate and Daniel Alcides Carrión del Callao hospitals. 

The Health authority highlighted the need for the population to continue complying with prevention measures such as frequent hand washing, maintaining physical distance and the correct use of the mask (one surgical mask more than one cloth, or a KN95).

In this sense, Minister López Peña commented that if a person presents with a headache, skin rashes, swollen glands, general discomfort, they should immediately go to a health center to be treated and the respective diagnosis, treatment and follow-up carried out. .

Meanwhile, the general director of the General Directorate of Strategic Interventions in Public Health (Dgiesp), Dr. Alexis Holguín, explained that this virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with injuries, in contact during the sexual act and through respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.