On August 15th, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Monkeypox (Mpox) is now considered an international emergency.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that Mpox has been a concern in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for over 10 years, with cases steadily rising each year.
1 Malaysian tested positive for Mpox
Following recent reports, Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (MOH) issued a media statement updating everyone on the current Mpox situation in the country.
The statement reveals that out of 58 suspected Mpox cases referred to the Ministry this year, 1 was confirmed as Mpox clade II on September 16, 2024. This means that all 10 Mpox cases in Malaysia since July 26, 2023, have been identified as clade 2.
“The patient is a male citizen who started showing symptoms of fever, sore throat, and cough on September 11, while a rash appeared on September 12.”
MoH is encouraging the public to take the following steps
The statement revealed that the patient hadn’t travelled abroad in the last 21 days before symptoms started. He’s currently isolated and is in stable condition.
The health department is tracking everyone who came into contact with this patient and keeping an eye on their health as per the current protocols.
To help everyone stay prepared and play their part, the Ministry of Health is spreading info through various media channels. People can also take the following steps:
- If you have symptoms like fever, swollen lymph nodes, or a rash or blisters, go see a doctor right away.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who might have Mpox, including sexual contact.
- Practice good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer.
Mpox symptoms include rashes and blisters
Medical practitioners are currently keeping an eye out for people showing symptoms like rashes and blisters, especially in high-risk groups.
For suspected Mpox cases, blister swabs, oral swabs and blood/serum samples should be sent to a laboratory that provides Mpox virus detection test services.
Suspected Mpox cases should be notified to the nearest Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah (PKD) through the e-Notification System so that further investigation and prevention and control measures can be carried out.
Make sure to follow the steps recommended by the Minister of Health to stay safe. Until then, we’ll keep you posted with the latest updates!
Also read: WHO: Monkeypox is Now an International Health Emergency, 925 Cases & 11 Deaths So Far in SEA
