- According to the Ministry of Health, during the last 14 days, 100 probable cases and 49 confirmed cases of MPOX or monkeypox have been identified in Mexico.
- From the first case detected in May 2022 and up to this date, 3,877 infections have been registered.
- Until now, Cofepris has not authorized the only vaccine designed against this infection.
Over the last few weeks, the Situation of MPOX (formerly known as monkeypox) in Mexico although it does not mean that the outbreak has disappeared. It remains in force although new cases show a decrease. It should also be remembered that up to now the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) has not authorized the vaccine designed against this infection.
The Fortnightly Technical Report on Epidemiological Surveillance in Mexico states that since the confirmation of the first case on May 28, 2022, and until February 20, 2023, 6,485 people have been identified who meet the operational definition of a probable case. Of these, 3,877 were confirmed, 327 are under study, and 2,281 were ruled out by laboratory tests.
The Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) notified that the positive cases are distributed in the 32 states:
Mexico City, two thousand 018 infections; Jalisco, 401; State of Mexico, 359; Quintana Roo, 236; Yucatan, 168; Nuevo Leon, 104; Puebla, 69; Veracruz, 62; Tabasco, 57; Chiapas, 50; Lower California, 32; Tamaulipas, 29; Queretaro, 28; Hidalgo, 26; and Morelos, 25.
In addition, Campeche, 23; Chihuahua, 23; Guanajuato, 22; Sinaloa, 19; Waterfalls, 18; Coahuila, 16; Warrior, 15; Oaxaca, 14; St. Louis PotosÃ, 11; Tlaxcala, 11; Nayarit, 10; Michoacan, eight; Colima, six; Sonora, five; Zacatecas, five; Lower California Southern, five; and Durango, three.
Common characteristics of MPOX cases in Mexico
Regarding the distribution by sex assigned at birth, the predominance is in men, with 97 percent. The age group from 30 to 34 years is the most prevalent because it presents an incidence rate of 9.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, that is, 1,009 of the 3,877 confirmed cases.
Regarding the gender of those who provide information, 95.8 percent are male and 3.3 percent are female; 0.2 percent is non-binary; 0.1 percent, bigender; 0.2 percent, transgender; and 0.4 percent corresponds to another group.
The most common symptoms reported are rash in 100 percent of the cases, followed by fever, 72.3 percent, and headaches, 62 percent.
Those who live with it are more vulnerable to developing the disease. HIV, suffer from syphilis and diabetes mellitus, among others.
Deaths associated with MPOX in Mexico
As of February 20, 16 deaths have been identified, four of which are directly related to MPOX infection. While two are not related to this cause and 10 are being analyzed by a group of experts in infectious disease and epidemiology to define whether there is a causal association between death and infection.
These are 15 men and one woman, who during medical care presented lesions compatible with MPOX and which, after the laboratory study, were confirmed.
Current situation in the rest of the world
Worldwide, 86,019 confirmed cases were reported in 110 countries, territories, and areas in the six regions of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as 96 deaths.
This disease lasts an average of 21 days, and is transmitted by direct contact with the secretions of a sick person through mucous membranes or skin lesions, respiratory droplets, and objects contaminated with body fluids.
It can be prevented by avoiding direct physical contact with people who are sick or suspected of having the disease. Sexual contact is an activity that must be taken into account, since it is spread by very close contact between two or more people.
There are practices that can increase the risk of infections, including MPOX, such as sex with strangers, dark rooms, or sex parties. This, due to the close contact between people during these activities.
Also read:
There are 14 deaths associated with MPOX in Mexico; there are no vaccines available in the country yet
There are 12 deaths associated with MPOX in Mexico; at least 4 had a direct relationship
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