Filenews 25 July 2022
The alarm sounded on Saturday by the World Health Organization at an international level about the disease monkeypox, did not leave our country indifferent despite the fact that no cases of the disease occurred in Cyprus, yet at least. Immediately after the WHO's announcements and concerns about international public health, Health Minister Michalis Hatzipantelas contacted the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, and called for this morning an emergency meeting to examine the country's level of preparedness for this disease.
Today, in the meantime, the first 1,400 doses of the vaccines against monkey smallpox, that will be administered if needed, are expected to arrive in Cyprus. As the CNA wrote a few days ago on the issue, citing a competent source of the Ministry of Health, there will be no mass vaccination of the population as the virus is not easily transmitted and the vaccines will be administered only to health professionals, who will have to deal with confirmed cases, but also to contacts of possible cases.
Nicosia General Hospital and Archbishop Makarios III Hospital have already been designated as reference hospitals for the treatment of suspected and confirmed cases, adults and children, respectively. According to a relevant announcement by the Ministry of Health, at today's meeting that will take place at 9 am at Nicosia General Hospital, the new data that emerge will be evaluated, as well as the level of preparedness of the country for the treatment of this disease.
The announcement also refers to the telephone communication of Mr. Hadjipantelas with Mr. Kluge, stating that during it, the data recorded at European level regarding the disease were discussed and it was decided that within the next few days, further guidelines will be sent regarding the management and treatment of confirmed cases of smallpox of monkeys.
As the Ministry of Health announced yesterday, more than 16,000 cases of the disease have been recorded in more than 70 countries, saying that the cases are mainly detected in people with multiple sexual partners.
