Myanmar reports no cases of mpox, boosts prevention drills

The Ministry of Health has detected no cases of mpox (monkeypox) virus in the county after conducting 129 lab tests from 2022 to date, said Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, at a meeting to scale up measures to prevent the virus yesterday.
In his remark, the Union minister said the WHO released standing recommendations and that the country would also systematically conduct awareness to follow the recommendations by cooperating with the relevant ministries. Moreover, the tight supervision of mpox will be made at borders without affecting domestic and foreign tourism.
During the meeting, the Union minister also clarified the mpox that was first detected in humans in 1970, in the DRC, and considered the upsurge of mpox as PHEIC in 2024.
He added that there are significantly fewer chances that Myanmar would have mpox, according to WHO, but people should have knowledge of personal hygiene as mpox can be infected by humans through physical contact with someone with the infection.
Then, the attendees reported on mpox cases in the world countries, preventive measures in Myanmar and supervision of mpox at borders. — MNA/KTZH