The Health Department of the Community of Madrid has insisted this Monday, in light of the detection in Sweden of the first case of the new variant (with more serious effects) of monkeypox (Mpox), that the Government of Spain must reinforce surveillance and control in the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport to avoid contagion.
“This first case of the new strain recorded in Europe is evidence that when we demanded these measures last Wednesday, the same day that the World Health Organization declared an international health alert, we were not being alarmist, but realistic. At this time, in the region, In Spain and in Europe the risk is lowbut it must be taken into account that at this time the route of infection is the arrival from abroad of people affected by monkeypox,” said the Minister of Health, Fatima Matute.
In view of the meeting that the Ministry of Health will hold this coming Tuesday with the autonomous communities to analyze this health alert, Matute has also demanded that the department headed by Monica Garcia have the necessary human, material and economic resources to lead and coordinate the autonomous governments in response to this threat.
“This can be articulated right now, without waiting for the State Public Health Agency promised by Minister García months ago and about which, to date, we have had no news. We would avoid such complicated situations like those experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the inaction of the Government of Spain, the autonomous governments had to face almost alone to the multiple needs required to protect citizens and health professionals and to care for those sick with coronavirus,” Matute reiterated.
“Lack of foresight”
The latter has also stressed, apart from the new scenario that opens with the new strain of monkeypox, “lack of foresight” from the Ministry of Health, which has not updated the alert system for two years
“In Madrid, on the other hand, we keep it up to date, because we have not stopped dealing with and worrying about the issue since the First outbreak detected in 2022. With this new variant of monkeypox, we are stressing the need to reinforce the measures already in place: vaccination, healthcare for the sick and monitoring of the cases recorded in the region.”
In this regard, the General Directorate of Public Health of the Community of Madrid sent a reminder last Friday with all the recommended measures to its health professionals for the management of patients under investigation or confirmed with Mpox infection.
These, which will be reflected in posters in health centres, include, among others, guidelines such as hygiene of hands according to the protocol recommended by the World Health Organization, the use of disposable gloves and gowns, the use of maximum protection masks.
