Tien Giang records first case of monkeypox

The patient, named TMT (32 years old, residing in Hamlet 1, Cam Son Commune, Cai Lay District), started having symptoms on November 20. On November 24, the patient went to the hospital with symptoms of blisters scattered on the face, chest, arms, and buttocks, accompanied by chills.

The hospital took the patient's sample for testing on November 24. Test results from the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on November 25 showed that the patient was positive for monkeypox virus.

Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Huu Diep, Deputy Director of Tien Giang Province Department of Health, said that he has directed functional units to investigate, trace, identify close contacts and instruct them to self-monitor their health for 21 days from the last day of contact (recording 3 cases of close contact, living in the same house with the patient). Report the investigation results to the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City.

Local health facilities instruct patients to continue to isolate themselves and avoid contact with others, including sexual intercourse; and request patients to notify close contacts that when experiencing symptoms of headache, fever, chills, sore throat, discomfort, fatigue, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, they should limit contact with others and immediately notify the nearest health facility for diagnosis, testing, treatment, and timely isolation. Health workers instruct patients' families to disinfect, ventilate, use fans, and limit the use of air conditioners; regularly wipe floors, doorknobs, and surfaces of household objects with disinfectants.

According to the epidemiological investigation of the Tien Giang Provincial Department of Health, the source of the current monkeypox case has not been determined, however the possibility of spreading locally is relatively low.

In the face of the above situation, the Department of Health directed functional units to continue to monitor and closely monitor cases in close contact with Monkeypox cases; functional forces to strengthen communication on disease prevention and control, focusing on high-risk groups in the community; continue to monitor the epidemic situation in the province, immediately report to the Department of Health when an epidemic occurs, promptly detect, prevent, handle, and prevent the epidemic from spreading.