[UPDATED] Ministry: Second monkeypox case discovered

TT has recorded its second monkeypox case.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health confirmed a second case had been identified via laboratory testing earlier.

It added that the patient was a young adult male.

The country's first case was recorded on July 11.

The statement said, “The relevant county medical officer is currently conducting an epidemiology investigation and has initiated the local public health response, which includes home isolation and contact tracing for the patient.”

The ministry said TT’s first monkeypox patient was a middle-aged male with travel-related history. It said as of July 4, there had been 88,144 globally-detected cases among 112 countries and a total of 149 deaths.

Asked if the first recorded patient was at a state facility, the ministry said the patient was in home isolation, in compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) protocols for the treatment of monkeypox.

The ministry was also employing public health methods used during the covid19 pandemic such as contact tracing. It said contact tracing was being done for the first patient, but did not say how many people might have been in contact with him.

The ministry added that updates would be provided.

In May last year, there was a global outbreak of the virus while many countries also dealt with the covid19 pandemic.

On its website, the World Health Organization’s page on monkeypox said, “Since early May 2022, cases of mpox (monkeypox) have been reported from countries where the disease is not endemic, and continue to be reported in several endemic countries. Most confirmed cases with travel history reported travel to countries in Europe and North America, rather than West or Central Africa where the mpox virus is endemic.”

The health.gov.tt website says, “Monkeypox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral zoonotic infection, meaning that it can spread from animals to humans. It can also spread from person to person.”

The illness causes a range of signs and symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

“This is followed or accompanied by the development of a rash which can last for two-three weeks. The rash can be found on the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, eyes, mouth, throat, groin, and genital and/or anal regions of the body. The number of lesions can range from one to several thousand. Lesions begin flat, then fill with liquid before they crust over, dry up and fall off, with a fresh layer of skin forming underneath,” the website said.

It said while some people might have mild symptoms, others may develop more serious symptoms and need care in a health facility.

Pregnant people, children and immunocompromised people are at higher risk for severe disease or complications.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Trinidad and Tobago  has recorded its second monkeypox case.

In a press release issued on Wednesday the Ministry of Health said a second case was confirmed via laboratory testing earlier.

It added that the patient was a young adult male.

The country's first case was recorded on July 11.

The release said, “The relevant County Medical Officer is currently conducting an epidemiology investigation and has initiated the local public health response, which includes home isolation and contact tracing for the patient.”