Guantánamo is working on training health personnel to know how to identify, both at borders and in health areas, patients with Monkeypox, in order to isolate them and continue the strict measures dictated by the protocol, as was announced by authorities in the sector.
The training began with conferences at the University of Medical Sciences and the municipality of Imías, where epidemiologists, clinicians, pediatricians…, facilitators met with the mission of bringing knowledge to the entire system.
When faced with a case of smallpox, the first thing is to identify suspicious persons, a term that qualifies above all patients from abroad -the countries with confirmed cases exceed one hundred- and clinical symptoms suggestive of the disease.
During the first five days, monkeypox presents with a short-term febrile illness, significant increase in the size of the lymph nodes or lymphadenopathy, muscle pain, fatigue... then it goes on to a rash. Then, skin lesions begin that affect the entire body, but usually start on the face and spread to the soles of the feet and hands. They start as macules (spots), which evolve into papules, vesicles with liquid content and crusts, which flake and fall off. In general, the process takes 21 days.
If the case is detected at the border, it is separated from the rest of the travelers and, through an interview, close contacts are identified, to expand surveillance. After the isolation, the referral to the hospital center follows and, in the health area, the focus control that implies the follow-up of the contacts resulting from the epidemiological survey -and their admission in case of symptoms- and the disinfection of surfaces with hypochlorite of sodium.
To confirm contagion, samples are taken from the lesions with swabs and sent to the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine in Havana.
For the attention of the suspects, four beds are planned in the General Agostinho Neto and the Pedro Agustín Pérez Pediatric.
Dairon Martínez Tejeda
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