on Friday issued an epidemiological alert to public and private health facilities nationwide following the confirmation of 12 cases abroad in the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the United States so as to identify, notify, and investigate compatible monkeypox cases.
Likewise, said entity explained that the first case identified in the UK is associated with trips to West Africa, unlike the rest of cases that are still under investigation.
Incubation period
Concerning the disease, the
CDC Peru detailed that the incubation period is between 6 and 16 days, although it can vary to between 5 and 21 days.
Besides, the agency specified that said infection comprises two periods: the first called the "invasion period," which lasts between 0 and 5 days. It presents symptoms such as: fever, intense headache, lymphadenopathy, lumbar pain, myalgia, and intense asthenia.
The second period of "skin rash" lasts between 1 and 3 days —after the onset of fever; that is, when the different phases of the rash appear, which usually affects the face first and then spreads to the rest of the body.
The
CDC Peru commented that skin lesions can affect the face, palms, soles, and other areas of the body. They are of increased consistency, deep, well circumscribed, and umbilicated.
Minsa recommends the following:
Upon the identification of a case compatible with monkeypox, health officials must expand the epidemiological research, including the census and follow-up of contacts. Diagnoses of syphilis, varicella, rubella, measles, herpes simplex 1 and 2 should also be ruled out.
For the diagnosis, three (3) types of samples will be taken into account:
-Serum
-Swabbing of skin lesions (of the fluid from vesicles or pustules and the bed of the lesion) in a Dacron swab.
- Sampling of dry scabs, or skin that covers the lesion.
Using these samples, the following tests should be conducted:
-PCR (in real time) in swabbing samples of lesions and scabs or skin.
-Serology for antibody detection.
The Directorates of Integrated Health Networks (Diris), Regional Health Directorates (Diresa), Regional Health Management Offices (Geresa), the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud), Armed Forces, Police, and the private sector must disseminate this alert among private and public health establishments in their jurisdictions.
Medical professionals must report any case compatible with monkeypox to those responsible for epidemiology departments at health establishments, according to the processes established via Sanitary Directive No. 047-MINSA/DGE-V.01 titled "Health directive for notification of outbreaks, epidemics, and other events of importance in public health."
The Diris, Diresa, Geresa, EsSalud, Armed Forces, Police, and the private sector must notify the CDC MINSA of any case compatible with monkeypox, through the SIEpi-brotes app:
https://www.dge.gob.pe/notificar