(Trinidad Guardian) In a media release yesterday afternoon, Ministry of Health (MOH) advised that a second case of Monkeypox (Mpox) virus was confirmed by laboratory testing earlier yesterday. The patient is a young adult male.
While the Ministry did not indicate if this case was linked to the first case detected on Tuesday, a middle-aged male with recent travel history, the relevant County Medical Officer of Health is currently conducting an epidemiology investigation and has initiated the local public health response, which includes home isolation and contact tracing for the patient.
Since January 1st, 2022, through July 3rd, 2023, the WHO has received over 88,144 laboratory-confirmed cases and 1,084 probable cases, including 149 deaths across 112 countries. Globally, the United States of America is the most affected country, with over 30,000 confirmed cases.
On average, 95 cases are still reported weekly across the globe, with the Region of the Americas, where Trinidad and Tobago is located, remaining the most affected WHO region. Trinidad and Tobago has joined Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Martinique, Aruba, the Bahamas, Curacao, Guyana, Barbados, Bermuda, Guadeloupe, and Saint Martin, where mpox cases have been reported in the Caribbean to the WHO.
Even with this latest development, the Minister of Health stressed on Tuesday night, in an interview with CNC3 News, “Don’t panic but be careful. Be careful in having close physical contact, especially sexual contact. It is transmitted mainly by very close, intimate physical contact.” Deyalsingh said, “It is not like COVID-19, which you can get just sitting on a maxi-taxi next to somebody.”
