Guyana records first monkeypox case

Last Updated on Monday, 22 August 2022, 17:54 by Denis Chabrol

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony says Guyana has recorded its first case of monkeypox, and the person is hospitalised in a stable condition while health authorities conduct contact-tracing

The man lives in Region Four. He says the man, who is in his 50s and is from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica),  was first suspected at the weekend and later confirmed. “We are now working with the patient; the patient is stable and we’ll continue working with that patient to make sure that everything is fine,” he said in a video release to government’s Department of Public Information. The patient has been admitted to the Ocean View Infectious Disease Hospital.

Dr Anthony said government was working with the Pan American Health Organisation to not only obtain test kits but also a supply of vaccines from the lone global manufacture.

He says contact-tracing has been done and a number of persons has since been quarantined…

The Health Minister says with the emergence of Guyana’s first case of monkeypox, Guyana has activated its response.

This includes laboratories, trained laboratory personnel and physicians who have been trained to identify the viral diseases. He says there is no need to panic but he is appealing to Guyanese to take all precautions. 

More than 42,000 cases have been detected in 95 countries.