Health officials to meet Sunday to draw up response plan for monkeypox

AMMAN — A national response plan will be developed to detect monkeypox, a viral infection, and prevent its spread as many cases were reported in Europe, according to the Jordan Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

The CDC on Saturday issued a statement saying that it will hold a meeting on Sunday with officials from the Health Ministry to develop a response plan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Additionally, the meeting will address the health protocol to be followed by health officials to investigate and report any potential cases. 

In addition to confirming early detection of any cases in the Kingdom, the meeting will discuss the availability of laboratory materials needed for detecting the disease. 

“Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and the swelling of the lymph nodes and can progress to a rash on the face and body,” a former health directorate director who preferred to remain anonymous told The Jordan Times.  

He added that monkeypox has mostly been contained to endemic areas in Africa but a recent rise in infections in European countries is leading to a concern.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website, monkeypox typically presents clinically with a fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.

“Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks,” according to the WHO website. 

The WHO added that monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.

“In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around 3-6 per cent,” the WHO added.

Additionally, monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.

Meanwhile, Munir Mrayat, a dermatologist, told The Jordan Times that monkeypox is not believed to be as transmissible as other common viruses, including COVID-19.

Mrayat added that there is not a lot of available data on the infection compared with other contagious viruses.