The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is urging travelers to countries experiencing Mpox outbreaks to take care and avoid close contact with individuals displaying symptoms of the disease. This advisory comes in light of the World Health Organization’s announcement about an Mpox outbreak in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with additional cases identified in surrounding nations such as Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Mpox is transmitted through close and sexual contact, as well as through exposure to lesions, body fluids, or contaminated items like bedding and surfaces. The Ministry recommends that anyone who experiences fever and body aches followed by a blistering rash after traveling internationally should seek medical attention and inform their healthcare provider about their travel history.
Typically, Mpox is a mild and self-resolving illness, with most patients recovering within a few weeks with appropriate supporting care and preventive measures to avoid spreading the virus. However, previous outbreaks in endemic regions of Africa have indicated that severe illness can occur among certain groups, including immunocompromised individuals, young children, and pregnant women.
The Ministry has protocols and guidelines in place for managing Mpox, which were established when the WHO identified it as a global public health emergency in 2022. Training for healthcare professionals occurred at that time, and ongoing annual training on infectious disease outbreak response is managed by the Fiji CDC.
In light of the WHO’s recent designation of Mpox as a global health emergency, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services is assembling the Communicable Disease Committee to evaluate the global situation, as well as to review Fiji’s current prevention, preparedness, and response strategies that were implemented during the 2022 Mpox emergency. This assessment will include any necessary actions, such as re-training healthcare workers.