Health authorities facing difficulties with contact- tracing for 1st monkeypox case

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Wednesday said that health officials are currently faced with some difficulties in detecting where Guyana’s first monkey pox patients initially made contact with the infectious virus.
He had previously explained that the two cases are unrelated.
Further, the Minister related that the persons who have been in recent contact with the first 2 patients, such as family members, are currently in quarantine.
“The persons whom the patient has been in contact with we have been in touch with the names and so that the patient has given us. It is hard to find some of the contacts, because he doesn’t have any particulars on those persons, but the immediate family members and persons who he has been in contact with regularly, those persons are in quarantine,” Dr Anthony said. “So far, we haven’t seen any signs of anybody developing monkey pox,” he said.
As relates to the second patient, the situation is currently the same.
On August 22, Guyana confirmed its first case of monkey pox, and on Monday confirmed its second case of the virus. The Health Minister reiterated that he does not predict a large outbreak of the virus in Guyana.
“I don’t think we’ll have large numbers of people being affected, and that’s why once we’re able to identify persons with monkey pox, that’s why we have been isolating them to prevent further spread, and we’ll continue to do so; we don’t expect large numbers.
“But, again, the public can help us by taking precautions. So, if anyone has any rashes and suspect that it might be monkey pox, then you should come in to one of our healthcare institutions, so that the doctors there can do a proper evaluation. We can do the laboratory test to make a determination,” he explained.
He added that the Ministry’s COVID-19 hotline and a new hotline that they have put in place can be contacted for more information on monkeypox.
“We have repurposed the COVID hotline, so if people require information, they can also call that COVID hotline; somebody on the other line would be able to give them information relating to monkey pox. We have also added another line, which is toll free, and that is being by GTT. The number for that one is 0449. They can literally call at any time when it’s convenient to them, and somebody would be there to answer and give them the information…we have medical persons who would be able to guide them and give them appropriate advice,” the Minister said.