Dominican Public Health notifies fifth case of monkeypox
The Ministry of Public Health notified this Wednesday the detection of the fifth case of monkeypox in the country.
This is a 39-year-old man, resident in Santo Domingo, who for work reasons travels throughout the border area.
The patient is receiving treatment at the Ramón de Lara Military Hospital.
Approximately seven days ago, the man felt the onset of symptoms with headache, fever and joint pain.
“The same day, the vesicular lesions began in the region of the face, which migrated to the lower limbs, back, trunk and generally, currently, the body,” explained the treating infectologist, Joel Ureña.
To date, the patient no longer has fever or headache, but he does have active vesicular lesions on his skin.
The treatment is symptomatic, as it evolves satisfactorily.
The health authorities are still investigating the origin of the contagion, assuming that like the other four previous cases, it was due to contact with people from abroad.
Regarding the 22-year-old patient notified last week, Dr. Ureña said that he is under observation on the 13th day and no longer has active lesions on his body.
“The (lesions) that were in the scabby phase are already in resolution and the patient to date does not present new lesions or symptoms,” added Ureña.
The young man remains in isolation pending completion of the 21 statutory days of observation.
In relation to the case of La Vega that was under study, this was discarded due to the negative result.
Vaccines
The Deputy Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, announced that the Ministry of Health is in contact with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to manage the acquisition of vaccines against monkeypox.
“We have opted for the route of the Pan American Health Organization to protocolize everything related to the treatment of monkeypox and so far we have had a favorable response,” Pérez said, although he did not specify when the vaccines would arrive or how much.
Related – Public Health reports fourth monkeypox case in the DR