Egypt’s Ministry of Health Issues Guidelines to Monitor Monkeypox

Although Egypt has yet to officially report any cases of monkeypox, the Ministry of Health has issued a guidance manual outlining preventive measures and procedures to manage potential cases. The ministry stated that no special measures are currently in place, as no local cases have been detected so far.

The World Health Organisation characterises Monkeypox as the appearance of a skin rash of unknown cause, sometimes accompanied by the formation of pustules on the palm of the hand, accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms: 38.5 degree celsius fever, swelling of lymph nodes, headache, body/muscle aches, back pain and general weakness.

According to the World Health Organization, monkeypox is characterized by the appearance of an unexplained skin rash, sometimes accompanied by pustules on the palms, alongside one or more of the following symptoms: a fever of 38.5°C, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and general weakness.

The guidance manual will be distributed to technical departments across public hospitals, central hospitals, fever hospitals, specialized hospitals, Health Insurance Authority hospitals, treatment institutions, specialized medical centers, educational hospitals, and university hospitals. Case definitions will be provided to healthcare facilities, enabling them to monitor the disease, identify suspected and probable cases, and confirm cases at each province’s main fever hospital.

All health facilities are required to follow infection control measures. If monkeypox is suspected, the patient should be isolated according to the guidance manual. Contacts of suspected, probable, and confirmed cases will then be monitored for three weeks.