There were no cases or suspicions of smallpox in Slovakia – Topky.sk

In Portugal, nine new cases of smallpox have been confirmed. According to the Portuguese Public Health Office, experts are trying to “identify transmission chains and potential new cases”. The office also called on everyone with suspicious symptoms, including skin rashes or sores, to avoid physical contact with others. In Spain, there have been seven confirmed and 22 possible cases of smallpox, and according to the head of the local public health office Antonio Zapatero, it is possible that their number will increase in the near future. Sweden also has the first case of smallpox, and the origin of the disease in this person is still unknown. Britain and the United States have also reported infection in recent days. Smallpox is a rare viral infectious disease similar to smallpox, although it has a milder course. They occur in Central and West Africa, often near tropical rainforests. They were first found in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where they are already considered endemic. The virus can be transmitted from person to person by droplets in the air, close body contact or the sharing of contaminated laundry or objects. Symptoms include fever, headache and skin rash. Photo gallery (2) Source: WHO We have not recorded them in Slovakia yet Cases of smallpox have not been recorded in Slovakia at present or in history. There are also no cases of suspicion. This was confirmed by the Public Health Office (ÚVZ) SR, which, according to its opinion, continuously monitors the situation of smallpox in Europe and is in contact with European countries through the European Early Warning and Response System EWRS. “However, in times of wide travel possibilities and due to the current incidence of the disease outside hitherto known endemic areas, it cannot be ruled out that an imported case could be recorded. However, we do not anticipate large-scale epidemics,” She made it clear that neither Slovakia nor Europe is an endemic area for smallpox. Smallpox is a viral, zoonotic disease. The disease was first reported in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970. “Transmission to humans occurs through contact with an infected animal or human or objects contaminated with biological material containing smallpox virus. Prolonged and more intensive contact with the infected person is required for human development. The incubation period is usually six to 16 days, up to 21, “said Adamcikova. Symptoms of the disease initially resemble the flu She approached that the symptoms of the disease initially resemble the flu, later sowing is added. “The clinical signs of the disease are similar to those of smallpox. The difference is in the development of skin lesions. Skin lesions generally appear at the same stage, which is characteristic of smallpox and smallpox. Smallpox lesions appear gradually, so at one time the body has rashes at different stages, “Adamčíková added. According to her, public health control measures are aimed primarily at reducing the transmission of the disease from person to person through early detection of cases based on professional medical and laboratory tests, isolation of infected patients, taking appropriate measures to prevent and control infections in health facilities, early detection possible new and probable cases by monitoring contacts. Cases of smallpox have recently been reported in countries where the disease does not usually occur, such as Britain, Spain and Portugal. One case of smallpox monkeys has already been recorded in the USA.