YOUTHS AND STUDENTS AT A VERY HIGH RISK OF BEING INFECTED BY MPOX
Mpox (previously known as monkey pox)is a disease found in animals like squirrels, rats, mice and monkeys that can spread to people, once infected by mpox, it can spread from person to person, mpox is treatable and it should be noted that if you take long to treat it, it can be severe, causing even death especially for children, pregnant women and those with other health conditions.
A total of confirmed cases currently standing at 262, according to the Mpox situation update of October 2024 in Uganda.
With the number of affected districts currently being at 28, Kampala still holds the flag of the highest number of new infections
Mpox has phases of infection including; 1.Early signs and symptoms e.g. headache, weakness, fever, chills and/or sweats, sore throat, muscle ache and swellings (lymphadenopathy) 2. Rash phase this usually happens a few days after fever and lymphadenopathy ,the rash appears, it starts from a point of contact with the virus and then appears on the whole body and is characterized by a few to several thousand rashes, its incubation period is normally 5-21 days .
People that are on a high risk of Mpox are; 1.The ones close to the patients normally taking care of them without the correct use of PPE, 2.Those who work in in Laboratories without using their PPE correctly. 3. Children, pregnant women, with weak immunity due to other health conditions. 4. Those with very many sexual partners and /or have frequent anonymous sexual partners. Those who hunt, kill, handle, butcher and prepare animals like squirrels, rats, mice.
NOTE: Even though some people may be more at risk than others, it’s important that we all remember that anyone, anywhere can get Mpox.
During the media orientation of the mpox outbreak in Uganda at Fairway Hotel Kampala on Thursday 31 October 2024, Dr. Immaculate Atuhairwe, the WHO Country Emergency and readness officer , Tabley Bakyaita the social behavioral technical officer, risk communication and community engagement at the Health Ministry and their doctors urged people not to fear because mpox is not a death sentence but rather a normamal diseasd incase you feel or see any signs and symptoms rush to nearest medical Centre immediately, for a check up
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