Monkeypox typically presents itself with a fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscular pain and rashes on the face, palms and soles of feet, mouth, genital areas and eyes. HEALTH MINISTRY
Although the 2022 monkeypox outbreak has not reached Cambodia as of July 8, Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng on July 11 called on the public to remain vigilant and practise preventive measures for infectious diseases.
From January 1 to July 7, a total of 7,892 confirmed monkeypox cases and three deaths were reported by 63 World Health Organisation (WHO) member states across five of the six WHO regions – the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, according to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
The sixth region, Southeast Asia, does not include Singapore, which reported its fourth case on July 8. The city-state is the only ASEAN country to report a monkeypox infection as of July 10.
Bun Heng called on officials at international border checkpoints to monitor inbound travellers, but confirmed that no entry ban is in effect.
“Individuals who travel to a country which has reported cases should be mindful and maintain a high standard of personal hygiene,” the minister said, urging travellers to avoid direct contact with suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients or sharing objects handled by them.
“They should be mindful of touching animals that may carry the virus and ensure that any meat they eat is well-cooked,” he added.
Bun Heng also advised health experts to educate caregivers on the disease to prevent possible infections through strict preventive health measures.
In an update late last month, the WHO advised all countries to “be on the alert for signals related to patients presenting with a rash that progresses in sequential stages – macules, papules, vesicles, pustules, scabs, at the same stage of development over all affected areas of the body – that may be associated with fever, enlarged lymph nodes, back pain, and muscle aches”.
The rash often begins on the face one to five days after the first symptoms, and then spreads to other parts of the body such as hands, feet, chest, or in the oral, genital or anal cavities. Other symptoms of monkeypox can include headache, chills and tiredness.
“Some patients may also present with sexually transmitted infections and should be tested and treated appropriately. These individuals may present to various community and health care settings including, but not limited to, primary and secondary care, fever clinics, sexual health services, infectious disease units, obstetrics and gynaecology, emergency departments, surgical specialties and dermatology clinics,” the WHO added.
The PAHO noted in a July 9 update: “Overall, 98 per cent of cases were identified as men who have sex with men [MSM] and of these, 41 per cent are HIV-positive. Among the cases, 47 per cent indicated that they had prior exposure to the disease during social events with sexual contact.”
