MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay: First case of monkeypox confirmed

The patient was male and had a travel history. He has been discharged from hospital

Paraguayan health authorities Thursday confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the South American country. It was an adult male patient of Paraguayan nationality with a travel history, it was reported. Meanwhile, 17 suspected cases were ruled out.

Deputy Health Minister Hernán Martínez said that the patient was already considered to be cured. The official added that the patient sought medical help as soon as he presented lesions, after which the protocol was activated to prevent him from having contact with other people in order to avoid the spread of the disease.

The patient has already been discharged and is resting under monitoring from the Health Surveillance Directorate, which is also reviewing his milieu and personal contacts, to look out for other possible suspects.

The Paraguayan Health Ministry has urged the population to seek medical attention as soon as possible in the presence of symptoms compatible with monkeypox, especially skin and/or mucosal lesions anywhere on the body, especially in the genital region, as well as fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, lumbar pain, muscle aches, rash, and intense fatigue.

Authorities also set up a special section on the Health Ministry's webpage with information on the disease and a chat window for confidential consultations.

The malady was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23 last year, given its worldwide spread. In Paraguay, the health ministry had already issued an epidemiological alert on May 23 last year due to the appearance of the disease in non-endemic countries.

Martínez insisted direct contact is the main way in which the disease is spread, so close contact should be avoided. He called on the population not to panic and to see a physician if they present any symptoms of the disease.

The rash changes and goes through different stages. It may resemble chickenpox or syphilis, before forming a scab, which then falls off. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting 14 to 21 days. Severe cases are very rare. It usually spreads through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, and semen, both during sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, or organ transplants.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that monkeypox cases fell last week worldwide, except in the Americas, where they continue to increase.