Hygienists in Prague recorded the first case of monkeypox in children
Update: 15/09/2022 15:45
Issued by: 15/09/2022, 15:45
Prague – Hygienists in Prague recorded the first case of monkeypox in a five-year-old child. According to the screening, the family was apparently not infected, one of the possibilities is a foreign holiday. In the kindergarten, it is possible to start an epidemiological investigation on the contacts of the infected person, they are waiting for the results of the blood tests on the child and his family members. The Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague (HSHMP) informs about this today in Press Release.
According to the investigation of epidemiologists, there was no possibility of infection of the child in the family. “The findings so far indicate that the infection could have occurred in some of the vacation destinations in Spain, where the incidence of monkeypox is higher than in the Czech Republic. The family recently spent a vacation in several places in Spain,” the hygienists said.
The skin sample taken showed only a slight positivity. For the child and his family members, control blood sampling and swabs from the nasopharynx were ordered for more detailed laboratory diagnosis. The results of the swabs are negative for monkey pox, the blood test is pending.
“Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, the HSHMP not only indicated the appropriate epidemiological investigation, but also set up adequate anti-epidemic measures for specific individuals and in the kindergarten,” the hygienists said.
The kindergarten has been ordered to have increased medical supervision and regular health monitoring. “The relevant collective in the kindergarten is separate from the other collectives, the serving of food and the organization of activities take place exclusively separately,” the hygiene station said. Increased disinfection of the space, strict observance of hand hygiene and separation of bed linen or towels are also ordered.
Hygienists drew attention to the fact that, according to the findings of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), infection can also occur through contact with materials where the virus is present, such as clothes, dishes or hygiene items.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, there were 66 cases of monkeypox in the Czech Republic by Wednesday, 52 in Prague and 14 in seven other regions. Five patients were in the Central Bohemian Region, three in South Moravia and two in the Ústí Region. The authorities are registering one case each in the Karlovy Vary, Hradec Králové, Olomouc and Zlín regions. So far, the youngest person infected in Prague was in the age group of 15 to 19 years.
The disease originally developed in the countries of West Africa, since the spring of the middle and this year it is also spreading in Europe and the USA. There are more than 19,400 cases in 29 countries in Europe.