MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay confirms 6th case of monkeypox

Monkeypox cases are relatively rare in Uruguay

Health authorities have confirmed the 6th case of monkeypox in Uruguay after the initial detection dating back to late July, it was reported Wednesday. While another possible contagion is under study, 57 suspected cases have already been ruled out.

Uruguay's Public Health Ministry (MSP) insisted that all suspected cases should be immediately reported to the surveillance department for proper follow-up and monitoring. Symptoms include skin rash, headache, fever, and back pain.

Meanwhile, in Colombia, Bogotá Health Secretary Alejandro Gómez said Wednesday that monkeypox cases no longer stemmed from abroad. With over 1,200 cases detected locally, 649 remained active and 499 have already recovered.

“We have been able to detect the chain of transmission in all cases, what has happened is that for more than a month this chain of transmission does not necessarily include a person coming from abroad,” Gómez told reporters.

He recalled that there was no treatment for the disease. Hence, the importance of prevention. Bogotá has deployed different contingency plans aimed at the most vulnerable, such as street dwellers, the official explained.

In Colombia, Bogotá is the territory with the highest number of cases, which is believed to be a result of the city having the country's largest international airport (Eldorado).

“Although we are facing a disease with which we must be extremely careful, we must also say that it is a self-limited disease. That it is a disease, unlike covid-19 that we were always talking about ten days more or less, in this case, we are talking about 21 days that the natural course of the disease is delayed, but it heals without important sequels in the city of Bogota,” explained Gómez.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 61,753 cases of monkeypox by Sept. 19, with only 23 deaths, and keeps labeling the global risk as “moderate.”

The United States topped the list of cases (22,957), followed by Spain (7,037), Brazil (6,649), France (3,898), Germany (3,563), United Kingdom (3,552), Peru (2,054), Canada (1363), Colombia (1,260), and The Netherlands (1,209). According to current figures, 104 countries have registered cases of the virus.