The public health crisis caused by mpox has led to Sierra Leone declaring a state of emergency

DAWN.com

Sierra Leone declared a public health emergency on Monday to combat mpox, announcing it was stepping up surveillance at its borders after confirming two cases of the deadly viral disease.
“The confirmation of two cases of mpox in the country has prompted immediate action as mandated by the public health act,” Health Minister Austin Demby told reporters in Freetown.
“On behalf of the government of Sierra Leone, I am declaring a public health emergency.” Last week Sierra Leone reported its first confirmed case of mpox since the world’s highest alert level for the disease was raised last year.
A second case has since been confirmed after a 21-year-old man showed symptoms on January 6, the National Public Health Agency said on social media Monday.
The public health emergency “allows us to act immediately to mobilise the resources needed to contain the disease, prevent further spread and provide care to those affected,” the minister said.

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On Monday, Sierra Leone announced that it was increasing border surveillance and declaring a public health emergency to combat mpox after confirming two cases of the deadly viral disease.

As required by the Public Health Act, “immediate action has been prompted by the confirmation of two cases of mpox in the country,” Health Minister Austin Demby told reporters in Freetown.

“I am announcing a public health emergency on behalf of the Sierra Leonean government. “”.

Since the world’s highest mpox alert level was raised last year, Sierra Leone reported its first confirmed case of the disease last week.

A 21-year-old man began exhibiting symptoms on January 6; the National Public Health Agency announced on social media Monday that a second case has since been confirmed.

“We can mobilize the resources required to contain the disease, prevent further spread, and provide care to those affected immediately because of the public health emergency,” the minister stated.

Demby also declared a national awareness campaign and more testing and surveillance along the border.

Drawing on lessons learned from the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks, he added that Sierra Leone’s healthcare system was prepared to handle cases.

Demby urged everyone to maintain composure, keep themselves updated, and notify medical authorities right away of any suspected cases.

The virus that causes mpox, which shares a family with smallpox, causes vesicles, which are skin lesions, along with a high fever.

In 1970, the disease was discovered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Until 2022, it was mostly limited to a dozen African nations, but it started to spread in 2022, reaching developed nations where the virus had never before been found.

In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its highest alert level. When Ebola swept through west Africa ten years ago, killing about 4,000 people—including almost 7% of medical personnel—Serra Leone was among the nations most severely affected.

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