Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, has urged all regional citizens to remain alert regarding mpox and its transmission.
Mitchell issued a statement Thursday following the recent mpox global alert by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As of 14 August 2024, the WHO classified an outbreak of the disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
” I urge all citizens to remain alert by staying informed through updates from CARPHA and local health authorities,” the CARICOM Chairman stated.
According to Mitchell, the WHO declaration regarding mpox emphasises the importance of heightened vigilance within CARICOM.
He noted that the current outbreak had shown a rapid increase in cases, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries, with the potential for further spread globally.
CARPHA, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, has said there are no reports of clade 1b mpox cases in the Caribbean and neighbouring countries
Those countries include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Latin America.
Nevertheless, Mitchell said enhanced surveillance to identify possible cases rapidly was essential to ensure citizen safety and health security.
He explained that the CARICOM Secretariat will work with CARPHA to ensure a well-coordinated regional and international response.
“CARPHA will continue to work with Member States and CARICOM IMPACS to monitor incoming passengers and facilitate the rapid identification of potential cases,” Mitchell stated.
Common mpox symptoms are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
