Rawalpindi-District Health Officer (DHO) Health Authority Dr Waqar Ahmed said that in the light of the advisory by the World Health Organization (WHO) about the threat of spread of the Monkeypox virus, the authority’s rapid response teams were collecting data having recent travel history from African countries to integrate the surveillance activities. The DHO told APP on Sunday that no case had been reported in Rawalpindi so far while the Health Department was on high alert to meet any situation.
He informed that the symptoms of Monkeypox were similar but milder than the symptoms of chickenpox. “It begins with fever, headache, muscle ache and exhaustion, adding the main difference between a monkey and chickenpox is lymphadenopathy.” Dr Waqar said that within three days after the appearance of fever, rashes developed on the patient face and then spread to other parts of the body.
The DHO said that anybody with symptoms of Monkeypox is advised to contact government health facilities without delay while their samples would be sent to the National Institute of Health for confirmation of the virus.
He said that there were no specific treatments for the disease while outbreak can be controlled with the smallpox vaccine, Cidofovir, ST-246 and vaccine immune globulin.
Dr Waqar advised the residents to adopt preventive measures, including avoiding contacting animals that could harbour the virus and practising good hygiene after reaching infected humans and animals.
He informed that the symptoms of Monkeypox were similar but milder than the symptoms of chickenpox. “It begins with fever, headache, muscle ache and exhaustion, adding the main difference between a monkey and chickenpox is lymphadenopathy.” Dr Waqar said that within three days after the appearance of fever, rashes developed on the patient face and then spread to other parts of the body.
The DHO said that anybody with symptoms of Monkeypox is advised to contact government health facilities without delay while their samples would be sent to the National Institute of Health for confirmation of the virus.
He said that there were no specific treatments for the disease while outbreak can be controlled with the smallpox vaccine, Cidofovir, ST-246 and vaccine immune globulin.
Dr Waqar advised the residents to adopt preventive measures, including avoiding contacting animals that could harbour the virus and practising good hygiene after reaching infected humans and animals.
