Monkey pox is spreading faster and faster all over the world. In recent days, the first case of infection with this virus has been reported in Poland. Health Minister Adam Niedzielski spoke on the actions that his Ministry of Health is planning to take to ensure the safety of Poles. The minister also revealed what will happen if massive infections with this virus and COVID-19 coincide in the fall.
- “Monkey pox in Poland has been classified as an infectious disease, it requires the same actions as in the case of the coronavirus” — Adam Niedzielski said in an interview with Interia
- According to the minister, Poland is now well prepared to fight all infectious diseases, including monkey pox
- The head of the ministry emphasized that even if the infections with monkey pox and coronavirus overlap in the fall, the risk of a repetition of the pandemic is very low
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Monkey pox is a zoonotic disease that is transmitted to humans. The virus has its source on the African continent, from which it has recently started to spread all over the world. He has also recently reached Poland. The initial symptoms of infection are usually: fever, enlarged lymph nodes, muscle, back and headache, and chills. In the days that follow, the body becomes covered with a rash that most often appears on the face, hands, soles of the feet, genitals, or eyes (including the conjunctiva and cornea). The rash then develops into vesicles and bumps with clear or yellow fluid, pustules, or crusts. In most cases, this disease is harmless.
Poland is well prepared to fight the epidemic
The Minister of Health spoke about the risk of further infections in Poland. Adam Niedzielski assured that our country is now well prepared to fight all infectious diseases, including monkey pox. The experience that the Ministry of Health has gained in the last two years since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic is contributing to this.
«We can see that the transmission mechanisms (monkey pox virus — ed.) are not so sensitive, and the infectivity is not that high. In Europe, we have not yet recorded any deaths, and the course of the infections can be considered mild » — he said in an interview with Interia.
Małpia ospa to COVID-19
The health minister also explained how monkey pox will be treated. «In Poland it has been classified as an infectious disease, it requires the same actions as in the case of coronavirus. I am talking, for example, about the tasks of the Department of Health, that is, conducting an epidemic investigation. We have an obligation to isolate in hospital conditions, because it will help us learn more about how this disease will spread and what its nature will be ”- said Niedzielski.
The head of the Ministry of Health also answered the question about the possibility of overlapping in autumn infections with monkey pox and the still active coronavirus. In Niedzielski’s opinion, we should not worry too much about it, because the risk of another epidemic is small. “In this respect we are prepared and even if there is some disease overlap, in my opinion the risk of a repetition of the pandemic is very, very low” — concluded the minister.