a few days ago Minister of Health and National Institute of Health confirmed the first three cases of monkeypox in Colombia.

One of the patients infected with the new disease that worries health authorities is in Medellín.

He was a 26 year old man who had just arrived from Spain. Apart from this person, in the capital Antioquia there are 9 more people who are isolated on suspicion of being infected and who will be relatives of the currently infected person.

Nine suspicions of monkeypox in Medellin

According to authorities, the 26-year-old man has mild and stable symptoms. The other nine people isolated on suspicion have undergone three tests to confirm their contacts or not.

Read also: Ministry of Health and INS confirm three cases of monkeypox in Colombia

“The variant that appeared in the South American region is benign, the disease has symptoms that go away after 15 days and the patient recovers and lives a normal life again,” said Milena Lopera, Deputy Secretary of Public Health in Medellin.

Currently, the city is paying attention to this matter, but there is still no alarm.

Epidemiologists explain that monkeypox is not as contagious as a respiratory virus and therefore easier to control.

“It’s very complex right now because we know that people from all over the world are arriving in Colombia and Medellín. Risk reduction will be able to create fences or analyzes of people entering the country from different countries that have this infection, for example Central Africa, from the UK, from places where infection has occurred or more cases”, said Daniela Vanegas, expert virus and professor at CES university.

The doctors also recommend to the public that, in case of fever, headache and skin rash, they contact the EPS for necessary controls and tests.

See also: Alert in Barranquilla for suspected monkeypox