has reported three confirmed monkeypox cases; the patients are evolving favorably. Meanwhile, seven people who had contact with the infected citizens are under permanent monitoring.
Miguel Pineda, biologist at Diresa's Epidemiology Department, indicated that the three patients reside in the city of Pisco; one of them should be discharged either on Thursday or Friday as sign of a favorable evolution.
In this sense, Pineda reported that
Diresa had issued an alert two weeks ago —once the first case was detected so as to activate the entire public health system, as well as the Social Health Insurance System (EsSalud), the Police Health System, and the private ones in order to be attentive to the presence of monkeypox cases.
Regarding the seven cases, which involved contact with the infected people, they are isolated and under permanent monitoring by health personnel to learn about their evolution.
Moreover, he said that given the alert issued and the three detected cases, the
Ministry of Health (Minsa) is providing technical assistance.
In addition, training has been provided to primary and secondary care level personnel in surveillance alert, detection, diagnosis, and sample collection.
In this sense, the official indicated that sample collection is very important as this process must be guaranteed because samples must be sent to the
National Health Institute (INS) in Lima for the corresponding analysis.
He also explained that results are obtained within 24 hours. Nonetheless, the ideal would be to authorize the implementation of a laboratory in the region so as to conduct this type of analysis and detect cases faster.
(FIN) JCB/MAO/MVB