UAE issues monkeypox alert, authorises all facilities to conduct tests and report
- 21 May 2022
Iman Abdullah Al Ali, Gulf Today
The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi calls upon all health facilities operating in the emirate to investigate monkeypox disease, and the need to report any suspected, potential or confirmed case through the electronic reporting system for communicable diseases.
It is noteworthy that the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the seriousness of the disease after it was detected in a number of countries, and the organisation called for a strong tracing of contacts of the infected cases.
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In Dubai, in accordance with the recommendations of the WHO, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) issued a circular to all health professionals and facilities operating within the DHA’s jurisdiction to promote epidemiological investigation of the disease.
The circular obligated all concerned authorities in the emirate to make all efforts to early detect and investigate the disease early, to limit its spread.
The DHA also called on all parties to fully comply with what was mentioned in the circular to avoid any legal accountability.
It is noteworthy that monkeypox is a kind of smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980, and the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first monkeypox vaccine in 2019.
So far, WHO officials do not have enough information about how those infected have contracted the disease, and there is concern that the virus may spread through the community undetected, and through new methods of transmission.
Monkeypox usually starts with fever, headache, muscle and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, fatigue, and eventually a rash and painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands, and feet.
The rash usually appears first on the face, then the hands and feet and develops within one to three days.