The Tanzanian Ministry of Health issued an alert about the spread of monkeypox throughout Africa and the rest of the world. The ministry issued a poster on Wednesday detailing the disease’s symptoms and advising the public to be cautious.
Symptoms include lymph node enlargement, fever, headaches, and muscle and body aches. The Ministry of Health advised anyone experiencing these symptoms to seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Cases of the disease have been reported in Europe in recent weeks, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global monkeypox outbreak alert. Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Health, Godwin Mollel, has warned the public to take precautions against monkeypox and other dangerous diseases.
There have been no reports of monkeypox in Tanzania. “However,” Dr. Mollel cautioned, “the public is urged to avoid contacting or consuming ill animals or carcasses, as well as touching anything that has been touched by a sick animal.” The Health Ministry monitors infectious disease patterns and implements severe procedures, such as screening visitors entering Tanzania, to protect inhabitants.
Dr. Mollel went on to say that the ministry is keeping an eye on noticeable changes in infectious diseases by exchanging information at the community level and educating the public on preventative measures including personal hygiene and general sanitation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania’s neighbor and a newly joined member of the East African Community, has seen numerous instances of monkeypox.
Monkeypox infections have been connected to international travel and the importation of animals from outside of Africa. The WHO states that the monkeypox virus is spread through close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and infected items such as clothing and bedding.
According to the World Health Organization, this disease is frequently self-limiting, although it can be severe in children, pregnant women, and individuals who have immunosuppression due to other medical conditions. The WHO declared an outbreak of monkeypox in England on May 16, 2022; as of May 24, 2022, the country has reported 78 cases.