WHO donated tests for the detection of monkeypox

The World Health Organization (WHO) donated tests for the detection of monkeypox to the Institute for Public Health of Montenegro (IJZ).

The director of the IJZ, Igor Galić, said that the WHO donation is significant for the entire health system at a time when Montenegro is facing the challenges of suppressing and preventing the monkeypox epidemic.

As reported by the IJZ, Galić stated that this institution, with the help and support of the WHO Regional Office for Montenegro, now has additional reagents for the detection of monkeypox cases.

"This will undoubtedly affect the prevention of the spread of the epidemic, precisely because quick and early diagnostics are available to the health system of Montenegro," Galić added.

He explained that reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission of the virus and controlling the outbreak of the epidemic is achieved through epidemiological surveillance and rapid identification of new cases of the disease.

According to Galić, for this reason, the employees of the Molecular Diagnostics Department of the Center for Medical Microbiology of the IJZ underwent training for the laboratory detection of monkeypox, which was conducted by a representative of the Robert Koch Institute from Berlin.

"With the WHO donation of 2.880 tests, the Robert Koh Institute's donation of 192 tests, as well as the laboratory equipment for detecting the causative agent of this disease owned by the Institute, all activities and measures aimed at preventing the transmission of this virus are included," Galić believes.

He stated that the prevention of monkeypox implies the application of general and specific measures. As he said, raising awareness about risk factors and educating people about measures that can be taken to reduce exposure to the virus represent the main strategy in the prevention of monkeypox.

"In cooperation with the tourism industry and the WHO, flyers were developed and distributed, and all the necessary information about the disease itself, as well as the flyers, are available on the Institute's website," said Galić.

The IJZ noted in a statement that the patient, who was the first registered case of monkeypox in Montenegro, left isolation after 20 days.

They said that the patient is in good general health, adding that no new cases of suspected monkeypox have been registered.

The head of the WHO Office in Montenegro, Mina Brajović, pointed out that detailed examination of cases and contact tracing, precise and quick diagnostics, measures of isolation, treatment and risk reduction represent the backbone of prevention and stopping the epidemic of monkeypox.

She said that this donation is just one in a series of examples of strong and continuous partner support of the WHO in the function of promoting health security in Montenegro.

Brajović reminded that in the past seven days, an increase in the number of patients has been registered at the global level by almost 20 percent, of which almost 55 percent have been laboratory confirmed in the European region.

"With a further increase in the number of patients, it is realistic to expect cases with a severe clinical picture and a fatal outcome," said Brajović.

She reiterated that, although data suggests that certain population groups are at greater risk of contracting monkeypox, no one is immune to the virus.

"In order to reverse the worrying trend, the engagement of the entire society, community and informed citizen is needed in the fight against the virus, as well as stigmatization," Brajović pointed out. She reminded that the responsible behavior of an individual implies practicing safe behavior, including reducing the number of sexual partners and contacts, in order to reduce the risk and prevent infection. "In case of symptoms and suspicion, it is necessary to contact a doctor without delay," Brajović pointed out.