MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

First patient with monkeypox dies in São Paulo

The victim was aged 26 and had various comorbidities

São Paulo's State Health Secretariat Wednesday confirmed the first death statewide of a patient suffering from monkeypox. The patient was a 26-year- old local male resident in South America's largest city, Agencia Brasil reported.

He was reported to have several comorbidities and was treated with antivirals specific for severe cases. He had been admitted to the Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectology on Aug. 1.

The state of São Paulo has 3,861 confirmed cases of monkeypox and the spread of the malady has been said to be waning in recent weeks. The current outbreak has a prevalence of transmission through intimate and sexual contact. The main symptom is the appearance of pimple-like lesions or blisters on the face, inside the mouth, or in other parts of the body such as the hands, chest, feet, and genitals. Other associated symptoms are fever; lump in the neck, armpit, and groin; headache; chills; and tiredness.

To prevent the disease, it is necessary to avoid intimate or sexual contact with people who have skin lesions; avoid kissing, hugging, or having sex with someone who has the disease. Sanitary authorities also recommend frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol gel and not sharing bedding, towels, cutlery, glasses, and personal objects, and wearing masks to protect against droplets and saliva, especially when in contact with confirmed cases.

It was the first fatality in São Paulo and the sixth nationwide. The other cases were in Minas Gerais (2) and Rio de Janeiro (3).

The federal Health Ministry last week received the first batch of vaccines against monkeypox consisting of 9.8 thousand units. Brazil purchased approximately 50 thousand immunizers via the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) rotating fund.