The Goiás State Health Department (SES-GO) released a technical note and carried out training aimed at health professionals, from the public and private network, to guide the implementation of measures to protect and control the transmission of Monkeypox, a disease known as monkey pox.
Through Technical Note No. 12, the symptoms, forms of transmission, definition of cases and the measures that must be adopted in case of suspected, probable and confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the State are specified.
The disease is a form of smallpox, first detected in the UK, which can be transmitted through person-to-person contact or through human body material contaminated with the virus. It is important to emphasize that monkeys are victims of the disease just like humans. Monkeypox’s epidemiological scenario is dynamic, with periodic updates by the team that makes up the Situation Room of the Ministry of Health.
Brazil registers, until this Thursday (07/07), 142 confirmed cases. Goiás continues to investigate six suspected cases. The data are published from the notifications made by the health services in the country, through RedCap and the analyzes can be accessed through the link: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/composicao/svs/resposta -a-emergencies/health-situation-room/Monkeypox-situation-room/update-of-cases-in-brazil.
The State of Goiás also presents epidemiological information about the disease using the field for Reports through the link https://www.saude.go.gov.br/boletins-informes
training
There have already been two training sessions aimed at health professionals from the public and private network. The objective is to pass on adequate information about clinical management in diagnosis and therapeutic management, reinforcing the medicines needed in the treatment.
The first training, held on June 20, involved 88 professionals in a seminar. On June 28, in another activity, 147 professionals from 54 municipalities were trained. The training is carried out online and will be made available on the SES-GO website for the permanent update of any health professional in the state. SES-GO has a specialized technical group and is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, designed to support health professionals and municipalities in the investigation and monitoring of Monkeypox cases in the state.
how to prevent
Among humans, the transmission of monkeypox occurs through contact with body fluids, lesions on the skin or mucous membranes, such as the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets during prolonged personal contact and through contaminated objects. Respiratory droplet transmission often requires prolonged personal contact, which puts healthcare workers, family members, and other close contacts of infected people at greater risk.
Symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle pain, chills and exhaustion. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting two to four weeks, denoted by the appearance of skin lesions. The period of transmission of the disease ends when the crusts of the lesions disappear. The incubation period is six to 16 days, but can be as long as 21 days.
Because it is transmissible, the disease requires care for the identification of patients, isolation, notification of cases, laboratory tests and monitoring of contacts. Treatment is based on supportive measures aimed at relieving symptoms, preventing and treating complications, and avoiding sequelae.
Serious Cases
Severe cases occur most commonly among children and are related to the extent of exposure to the virus, the patient’s health status, and the nature of complications. Underlying immune deficiencies can lead to worse outcomes.
Complications can include secondary infections, bronchopneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis, and corneal infection with consequent loss of vision. Historically, the case fatality rate has ranged between 0 and 11% in the general population and has been higher among children. In recent times, the mortality rate has been around 3%.
Check here Technical Note No. 12 in full.
Text: Iara Lourenço from Sectorial Communication
Photo: EBC