By Chisomo Phiri
The Mchinji District Health Office has stepped up efforts to screen people entering and exiting the district’s border post, aimed at containing the possible threats of Mpox.
This comes just a week after Mpox was declared a public health concern.
Mchinji District Director of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Dr. Yohane Mwale, says the only concern is neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have been hit hard.
Mwale says the district has not recorded any cases so far; however, it is on high alert to further engage communities to avoid close contact with infected or suspected persons, practice regular hand-washing, among others.
Mpox is a viral disease with symptoms like fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that spreads across the body.
According to health experts, its transmission to humans is through contact with infected animals, and among humans, it spreads through direct contact with an infected person and through sexual intercourse, with no treatment available.
According to the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDCP), 1,456 people have died in Africa since January 2022.
