Monkeypox | “Peru receives its first batch and still nothing in Colombia”: former minister Fernando Ruiz

Peru received its first batch of 5,600 monkeypox vaccines on Wednesday. The Peruvian Ministry of Health has indicated that with the arrival of the batch, 28,000 doses for 14,000 people at increased risk of getting sick.

These vaccines come from the Bavarian Nordic laboratory in Denmark, according to health authorities in the neighboring country.

On Thursday, the former Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, referred to the news and assured that while Peru already has its first vaccines, in Colombia there is still “nothing concrete”.

Via Twitter, a former official pointed out that this is a matter of “deep concern”. And he stressed: “We continue with vaccines and without a vaccination plan”.

In recent days, the Ministry of Health announced that 25 thousand doses will arrive thanks to a research project coordinated by the WHO.

“This negotiation is part of a survey project that various countries will implement with the World Health Organization and, moreover, will allow for the expansion of the attention it monitors in the country on this issue ”, they underlined in a statement.

However, it was learned that the country rejected the option to receive 5,600 vaccines from the Bavarian Nordic pharmaceutical company, managed through the PAHO revolving fund. As argued by Minister Carolina Corcho because of the indemnity clauses that the country should assume at the time of signing that contract.

“Here we had the problem because the pharmaceutical contract obliged the Ministry of Health to sign a contract with an indemnity clause, where the Colombian State undertakes to pay everything, errors, legal and judicial defense of all pharmaceutical employees at all stages , with the production of the vaccine; those indemnity clauses are much stronger than that for the covid “, said before the Congress of the Republic.

Reporting of monkeypox in Colombia has increased to nearly 3,300 cases

The National Institute of Health (INS) released its weekly monkeypox case report on Monday. The report confirms 3,298 infections detected. Of the total, 88 cases correspond to women and 3,210 to men. In addition, 58 hospitalizations have been reported and at this time 563 active cases are being followed up.

Compared to last week they have increased by 68 units. About this, explained the outgoing director of the Institute, Martha Ospina WEEK that the ratio is “lower than expected. Clearly it is a self-limiting disease and, although there is a community transmission, its contagion is concentrated in adult men.

The age group in which the disease is concentrated is that of men from 30 to 39 years (1,399), followed by the age group from 20 to 29 (1,224), then from 20 to 49 years (412) and in fifth place from 50 to 59 years (101).

In the case of women, it was more frequent in the 20 to 29 year old group (33 cases)followed by the interval from 30 to 39 years (18), from 40 to 49 years (14 cases), from 50 to 59 years (eight), from 10 to 19 years (seven) and from zero to nine years (five).

Monkeypox by territory

In detail, the report shows the concentration of cases in the country’s capital.

Bogotá (1.777), Antioquia (911), Cali (233), Santander (74), Cundinamarca (66), Tolima (41), Risaralda (33), Barranquilla (26), Valle (21), Meta (21), Caldas (15), Cesar (11), Quindío (ten), Cartagena (nine), Atlántico (eight), Huila (seven), San Andrés (six), Boyacá (six), La Guajira (four), Cauca (four ), Córdoba (three), Sucre (two), Santa Marta DE (two), Norte de Santander (two), Putumayo (two), Bolívar (two), Guaviare (one) and Casanare (one).

Recoveries reported

82% of the people who were followed recovered from the disease. So far, 2,735 people have recovered from this disease in Colombia.

In total, samples of 5,559 people were analyzed, of which 3,298 cases were confirmed and 1,788 were excluded.

Weekly increase in cases

In the past week, 68 cases have been discovered. Two out of five in Antioquia (26). Next in the list are Bogotá (25), Cali (four), Santander (two), Tolima (two), Risaralda (two), Caldas (two), Quindío (one), San Andrés (one), Barranquilla (one)., Atlantico (one) and Santa Marta (one).

The Director of Epidemiology and Demography of the Ministry of Health, Clara Suárez, recalled that the first case of monkeypox in Colombia was confirmed on 23 June.; then there was a peak of 444 cases and since then the cases have been decreasing.

Recommendations for patients

The Pan American Health Organization explains that although there are no specific treatments for monkeypox virus infection, “the symptoms of monkeypox usually resolve spontaneously. Clinical care for monkeypox should be optimally optimized to relieve symptoms, manage complications and prevent long-term sequelae. “

Also, The Colombian health system recommends contacting EPS first, in case of possible suspicion of contagion, to take the test.. After having the result, which on average can last seven days and if it is positive, the advice is to maintain strict isolation.

In this period, the experts add, “It is important to take care of the rash by letting it dry if possible or by covering it with a moist dressing to protect the area if necessary. You should avoid touching any wounds in the mouth or eyes. You can use mouthwashes and eye drops, as long as you avoid products containing cortisone “.