Santiago Molina, the 28-year-old Argentine who had contracted monkeypox in Mexico, has died

His infection occurred more than a month ago, but worsened due to complications from his HIV diagnosis. (Courtesy: El Doce)

Santiago Molina, the young man from Cordoba who had contracted monkeypox in Mexico, died this Monday after being hospitalized for more than a month in serious condition. The death was confirmed by Claudia, his mother, who said on social media that her son “will always be in our hearts.”

“We would like to inform all of Santy’s friends and acquaintances that he has sadly passed away. He will always be in our hearts,” reads the brief message that Claudia Follin, Santiago’s mother, shared yesterday morning on her Facebook profile.

Santiago, 28 years old and from the city of La Calera, had a deteriorating health after suffering repeated multi-organ failures caused by the virus. “He suffered a bronchoaspiratory attack, one of his lungs collapsed and he had to undergo intubation therapy,” his aunt Eugenia Follin told Eldoce.tv.

Santiago Molina and Claudia, his mother.

According to what the aunt told the aforementioned Cordoba media, Santiago’s body will not be repatriated due to the cost of the procedure. As a result, the family decided to hold a mass to say goodbye to his remains and cremate him, and then bring his ashes back to the country.

“Bringing him back is impossible because it costs a lot,” he said, adding that cremation costs about $450 – around 600,000 pesos. Although the cost is much lower than repatriation, Santiago’s family and friends are raising money for the final farewell.

As Claudia herself had told several media outlets a few days ago, Santiago began to notice the first symptoms compatible with the disease during the first days of August, but his mother said that the condition worsened about 10 days later. “He has been hospitalized for 10 days and his respiratory system, pelvic area, genital area and other areas have become complicated,” she described.

From the moment the disease was confirmed, Molina was admitted to a public hospital in Playa del Carmen, the Mexican city where he decided to settle a year ago. Although the young man’s mother stressed that the professionals at that medical center were giving him good care, she explained that complications arose when it was time to perform other complementary studies that would be expensive.

According to medical reports cited by Mexican media outlet Sipse.com, Santiago experienced serious complications in his respiratory and genital systems, as well as other areas of his body. In the weeks leading up to his death, he was connected to a pulmonary tube and pelvic tubes to treat associated infections.

MPox, popularly known as monkeypox, is a virus that is transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact or with infected materials or animals, causing painful rashes, swollen lymph nodes and fever. As a result of a new outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), with the intention that countries reinforce prevention measures and detect possible cases in time.

Transmission between people usually occurs when they are in close contact through skin or mucous membranes, so transmission can often occur during sexual relations. However, transmission can also occur through contaminated objects such as clothing, bedding and puncture wounds in healthcare settings.

Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with infected people, contaminated materials or infected animals /Infobae

Because of the high risk of contagion that the virus poses, it is often recommended to isolate infected people as a precaution to prevent their family members and sexual partners from contracting the disease. Although it is not mandatory, it is also recommended to minimize social interactions and avoid physical contact until the lesions have healed and the skin has regenerated.

Likewise, experts indicated that the first symptoms begin to appear a week after being exposed to the virus, although it could also occur between 1 and 21 days of exposure. It is also stipulated that the symptoms could last between 2 to 4 weeks.

The symptoms that patients usually present include: skin rashes, fever, sore throat, muscle pain, back pain, lack of energy, swollen lymph nodes, and spots and blisters filled with fluid on the body, mainly on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.