Malanje- Health authorities in Malanje province have said they are on alert and prepared to deal with possible cases of monkeypox, a disease that is currently affecting the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the local Health Department, Ribeiro José has said.
According to Ribeiro José, epidemiological surveillance teams have been deployed in the municipalities of Massango and Marimba, which border the Republics of Democratic Congo and Zambia.
He stressed that although there are no records of monkeypox in Angola, it is urgent to take preventative measures, hence the creation of the epidemiological surveillance teams.
He said that all the material conditions and human resources needed to deal with the situation are in place, and called on citizens to go to the health units in case of symptoms of the disease, especially blisters on the body.
The health official urged the population to adopt preventive measures such as regular hand washing with soap and water, the use of alcohol gel, avoiding the consumption of monkey meat and rodents, as well as contact with clothing or utensils used by infected people.
Monkeypox is a highly contagious viral disease with an incubation period of five to 25 days, the signs of which are fever, headaches, the appearance of lymph nodes and adenomegaly in the inguinal regions, itching and skin lesions, among others.
In addition to hand hygiene, one of the ways to prevent the disease is to wear face masks. NC/PBC/AMP
