BY BAYANDA NKATHA
Victoria Falls, a major tourism destination, is at high risk of Mpox outbreak due to its proximity to the border and the heavy presence of cross-border truckers.
Stakeholders met on Wednesday to strategize on preparing for any outbreak, taking no chances after the tourism sector was severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The meeting, convened by the Victoria Falls City Council health department and Ministry of Health and Child Care, aimed to sensitize stakeholders and share information on the disease.
Fungayi Musinami, Hwange District Medical Officer, emphasized that the meeting was just a sensitization exercise to ensure that everyone gets the right information.
“We want to stay ahead and ensure everyone gets the right information,” she said.
Musinami highlighted that the presence of same-sex commercial sex workers and cross-border truck drivers makes the chances of the spread of the virus high.
“Our biggest concern as Victoria Falls is trucks movement through Victoria Falls and Kazungula borders from as far as DR Congo,” she said.
“As a city, that will be the thrust of our response to start from. Another aspect of response is men having sex with men and the truck stop where there is a lot happening.”
Khaliphani Tshuma, Victoria Falls City Council safety and health officer, stressed the importance of citizens getting correct information from credible sources.
“Symptoms can take up to 21 days to manifest, and include swollen lymph nodes, rash, headache, muscle ache, back pain, low energy, sore throat, and fever,” he said.
“Rash and blisters are common on the face, palms, feet, groin, genitals, mouth, throat, anus, rectum eyes, and privates. The virus can spread through physical contact with an infected person or through mouth-mouth or a mother to child at birth.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) recently declared Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), respectively.
The stakeholders agreed that preparedness is key to preventing the spread of Mpox in Victoria Falls.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders, including government departments, ports authorities, and the private sector.