The Ministry of Health will reveal which country will donate 25,000 monkeypox vaccines to Colombia

A few days ago, Minister Carolina Corcho assured that she was about to publicly disclose what has been achieved with the negotiations they are advancing to receive biologicals against monkeypox. The latest news is that a few hours ago, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection discussed the process with fewer restrictions.

For now there are no official date and time, but there are two details. The first, the press conference cited by the Ministry of Health for this Wednesday and the second, the hypothesis that the donor country would be Japan.

On this, several analysts have made their speech. For example, the researcher Jonathan Ruíz, who explained this in the case of the Asian country it would be the LC16m8 vaccine approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health.

“Curiosity: if it’s the vaccine LC16m8 (I think), it’s actually a vaccine against smallpox (smallpox). Japan has reserves in case of a bioterrorist attack. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980 and it is assumed that only 2 laboratories still have virus samples: US and Russia,” she wrote.

He also said that the vaccine was approved three months ago.

“In August, the Japanese government approved KM Biologics’ smallpox vaccine (LC16m8) for use against monkeypox. That’s why I think it would be the LC16. WHO includes the LC16 vaccine in its vaccination recommendations against v. seismic”.

Furthermore, according to the representatives of the producing company, they had received requests from abroad about this organic product, but they did not comment on any export possibilities.

There are other analyzes such as that of Andrés Vecino, who, assuming that the vaccines will arrive, explains that there is no vaccination plan, nor contact tracing to apply biological ones.

“I am late, it was not necessary to leave all those contacts without vaccines for months. The health care system will still be liable for adverse events, which is why it has not bought (compensation). Another publicized reason not to buy direct was to not promote the manufacturer’s monopolistic practices, at the expense of the sick. Objective not achieved because Japan bought them anyway, probably at a higher price. What I suspect is that for ideological reasons they decided not to buy in August. In September they realized it was a mistake, but it was too late and when they went to the transfer market they never found it again.”

Panorama of monkeypox in Colombia

In the last week, they reported 74 new monkeypox transmissions. Since the end of June, when the first cases were confirmed in the country, 3,803 infected people have been detected in the country to date.

At this moment they are warned 197 active cases of zoonotic infection. In total, 3,606 patients recovered.

As for hospitalizations, 33 were reported earlier this week; and as for deaths, none have been confirmed in the country due to monkeypox.

By gender, 96% (3,685) of cases correspond to men, while 3% (118) to women.

Regional panorama of infections

In the case of Colombia, The outbreak remains concentrated in Bogotá, where 1,922 cases have been reported. Followed by Antioquia (1,097; Cali (308); Santander (79); Cundinamarca (86) and Tolima (49).

In the other departments the balance sheet is as follows. Risaralda (42), Barranquilla (35), Valle del Cauca (28), Meta (27), Caldas (20), Cartagena (15), Cesar (11), Quindío (13), Atlántico (8), Córdoba (7 ), Boyacá (7), San Andrés (7), Huila (7), Cauca (7), Norte de Santander (6), La Guajira (5), Sucre (3), Santa Marta (3), Casanare (3 ), Nariño (2), Bolívar (2), Putumayo (2), Caquetá (1) and Guaviare (1).

Recommendations of the health authorities

This disease can cause a rash, similar to a pimple or blister, usually leading to flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, malaise). Anyone can become infected by having close personal contact, often skin-to-skin, face-to-face, or touching (including hugging, massaging, and kissing), with someone who has symptoms.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal), as well as touching the genital area (penis, testicles, vagina, or anus) of a person with monkeypox can be modes of transmission.

Likewise, “coming into contact with pimples, blisters, or scabs that appear with the disease, as well as with fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels) or with surfaces or objects, including sex toys, that have been used by someone with smallpox monkeys, are forms of contagion,” the Ministry of Health and Social Protection specified in its latest report.