Health Ministry: Monitoring Monkeypox possibilities in the country

Local

4-07-2022, 21:28

INA - BAGHDAD

Ministry of Health confirmed on Monday, upon facing four epidemics and monitoring the possibility of the arrival of the fifth, represented by monkeypox, while it mentioned a dangerous development of Cholera cases and an unprecedented increase in viral hemorrhagic fever - VHFs, as it issued a severe warning to citizens about Rabies.

"The Ministry of Health is facing several epidemics, including Covid 19 as the fifth wave is escalating dangerously," said the ministry's spokesman, Saif Al-Badr, to the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

Al-Badr explained that, "among the epidemics is the spread of VHFs," stressing that "the number of cases detected is unprecedented since the nineties of the last century until now."

As for the Cholera, he referred saying that "although the disease is endemic, there is a serious development and increased cases and deaths, in addition to rabies. Although it is limited, it represents a challenge that needs education and awareness."

Al-Badr called on everyone exposed to a dog’s bite to “review the nearest health institution to take the necessary vaccine,” warning that “if the infected person is late and the dog is infected with rabies, the symptoms appear on the person for the disease is fatal by 100%, which is a message that everyone should know and review to the nearest health center before symptoms appear, because after symptoms appear, health centers cannot treat the case.”

"The fifth disease has not yet reached Iraq, which is monkeypox, but it appeared in Lebanon and it is close to Iraq. The Ministry of Health is calculating the possibility of its arrival in Iraq," he noted.

He highlighted that "the ministry has a shortage in health institutions and a shortage in the number of medical staff, as it is working in unusual conditions. With the efforts of its heroes, it was able to contain the dangerous waves of COVID-19 and accumulated great experience among its staff," expressing his hope to "overcome the crisis with the support of the media."

The ministry's spokesman called on governmental and non-governmental agencies to "support the Ministry of Health to confront these epidemics," calling on the media to "spread health awareness."