The fear was confirmed by the Minister of Health Kailesh Jagutpal on Thursday 02 June. Monkeypox has finally landed in Mauritius. Monkeypox has been suspected in three Mauritians. They were under observation in a regional hospital and then in self-isolation at home. Samples of their blood have been sent to laboratories in Reunion Island and South Africa. The results are expected this Friday.
Samples and contact tracing
These results will determine whether the three Mauritians have Monkeypox or not. If the results are positive for Monkeypox, the three men will be isolated at the New ENT Hospital in Vacoas for a minimum of 21 days and treated. The New ENT Hospital has been designated as a treatment centre for Monkeypox as well. But for the time being, pending confirmation, a contact tracing exercise has been initiated with relatives.
The symptoms of the three suspected cases are minimal but of interest. Of the three cases, two concern two brothers aged 64 and 69 respectively. One, who is visiting his brother in Mauritius from France for a holiday, has been experiencing symptoms of fever and mild rash since last week. The third is returning from the island of Reunion. He previously stayed in Congo where he contracted malaria. As Dr Kailesh Jagutpal explained at the signing of an agreement with private clinics on Thursday afternoon, “the three suspected cases did not have the typical Monkeypox lesions but are under observation. So, this is not a confirmation that Monkeypox is circulating in our region. However, the Minister of Health stated that vigilance is required at the port, airport and health centres. And that “any case that presents lesions and redness on the skin will be treated as a possible case of monkeypox”.
Transmission and treatment
The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected animals or else from human to human after prolonged and more body-to-body contact either by transmission of saliva or pus from lesions. The virus is also possibly sexually transmitted but is not considered a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).
This patient can be treated with proper medical care and antiviral drugs and Tecovirimat designed for smallpox, licensed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for monkeypox in 2022. Mauritius is already taking safety measures and has already placed the order for Imvanex vaccines, which are estimated to be effective within three days of infection, and in double doses. Under the pre-boarding form scheme that will be put in place, travellers to Mauritius will be asked to indicate if they have a rash, the countries they have travelled to in the last 21 days, if they have been in contact with anyone who is infected with monkeypox or is suspected of being infected. Any suspected cases on landing will be sent to isolation for observation.
Rosamund Lewis of WHO: “Outbreaks can be stopped… the current spread of the disease is a cause for concern. We need to be on our guards!
