BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
In a proactive move to combat the spread of Mpox, a rare viral infection formerly known as Monkeypox, the Hwange district has set up an isolation facility at the Victoria Falls City Council run clinic.
According to Fungai Musinami, the district’s medical officer, the facility is ready to receive patients and is equipped to handle suspected cases of Mpox.
“We have engaged the tourism stakeholders so that we can have a concerted effort in our preparedness, should we have a case or a suspected case,” Musinami says.
With the facility in place, the district is well-prepared to handle any potential cases of Mpox and prevent the spread of the virus.
The isolation facility is a result of the district’s efforts to build on existing systems established during the Covid-19 and Cholera outbreaks.
“We will be utilizing facilities that we used for Covid-19 isolation to isolate Mpox. So, should that happen, those facilities are ready and available,” Musinami explains.
The facility will provide appropriate care and treatment to patients with Mpox, and the district’s medical team is on high alert to monitor and respond to any suspected cases.
In addition to the isolation facility, the district has implemented temperature checks for travelers entering the country and has disseminated key messages to local communities about Mpox infection prevention.
The district is particularly cautious with truck drivers and tourists in Victoria Falls, where the risk of transmission is higher.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has highlighted symptoms to look out for, including fever, rash, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and respiratory symptoms.
People with Mpox can pass on the infection to others until all sores have healed and a new layer of skin has formed.
Children, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems are at risk of complications.
As of October 15, Zimbabwe has confirmed two cases of Mpox.
The cases were reported in Harare and Mberengwa, and both patients are in stable condition, receiving appropriate care. The first case involves an 11-year-old boy who traveled to South Africa in August and returned on September 10.
He developed symptoms on September 23 but is no longer infectious and is being cared for in isolation. Seven contacts have been identified and are being monitored.
The second case is a 24-year-old man who traveled to Tanzania on September 14 and returned on September 21. He developed symptoms five days later and is also no longer infectious, with contact tracing underway.
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