2024-08-25 10:19:56
The Colombian Ministry of Health, under the direction of Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, has announced that surveillance and monitoring of Mpox in the country remains constant. To date, no cases of the clade Ib variant of the virus have been detected in Colombian territory, as confirmed by health authorities. This monitoring is in line with the guidelines of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which also reports the absence of this variant throughout the Americas region.
Minister Jaramillo stressed the importance of keeping citizens informed through official sources, thus avoiding the spread of misinformation. In this regard, he emphasized that mass vaccination against Mpox is not necessary nor recommended by PAHO at this time.
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On the other hand, the National Institute of Health (INS) continues with rigorous surveillance of Mpox, applying the measures recommended by the PAHO and the World Health Organization (WHO). Because no cases of the clade Ib variant have been identified in the region, no additional controls will be implemented at the borders with Venezuela and Ecuador. However, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection continues to monitor the situation closely to respond appropriately to any new guidelines.
At a recent extraordinary committee of Port Health, in which entities such as Migración Colombia, the Ministries of Defense and Labor, and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management participated, recommendations for air and sea travelers were discussed in order to prevent the spread of Mpox.
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So far in 2024, Colombia has registered 113 cases of Mpox of the clade II genetic variant, of which only one remains active. No deaths have been reported. Minister Jaramillo explained that the virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected wild animals, close contact with infected people, or contact with contaminated materials. According to the WHO, immunosuppressed people are at greater risk of developing severe and potentially fatal forms of the disease.
PAHO and the Ministry of Health emphasized the need to disseminate clear public health messages to educate at-risk populations, including health personnel, in order to improve early recognition of Mpox symptoms. Maintaining infection prevention and control measures, such as the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene, remains critical.