Malanje - The director of the Provincial Health Office, Ribeiro José, on Monday said that there are two epidemiological surveillance teams, set up under the contingency plan with the aim to deal with possible cases of mpox in the province.
Of these teams, one was set up in the communes of Quihuhu, Massango municipality, and the other in Tembu Aluma, Marimba municipality, both on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region where, like Zambia, there is an outbreak of the disease.
According to him, the teams are made up of a doctor, an epidemiologist, a laboratory technician and a nurse, as well as all-terrain vehicles provided by the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), to facilitate access to difficult areas.
He said that serums, antibiotics, painkillers, vitamins and other supplements were available, as well as the expendable means needed to treat possible smallpox patients.
On the other hand, the health director called on the population to avoid contact with monkeys and other rodents, as well as to wash their hands regularly with soap and water and to use alcohol gel.
Mpox 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 swollen lymph nodes and adenomegaly in the inguinal regions, itching, skin lesions, among others.
In addition to hand hygiene, one of the ways to prevent the disease is to wear face masks and avoid contact with blood or other fluids from rodent animals. NC/PBC/MRA/DOJ
