PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Health says two more cases of monkeypox have been detected in Cambodia and called on the public to be cautious and educated on how the disease spreads so they can take preventative measures.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry, the National Institute of Public Health confirmed two more cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number to three as of January 3, 2024. The Ministry of Health confirmed that after receiving a positive result of the monkeypox virus, the patient was properly hospitalized in a separate room.
The Ministry called on the public to take care of their health and prevent the spread of monkeypox by understanding how the virus is transmitted from person to person through sexual contact and direct contact with wounds, bodily fluids, saliva, airborne droplets, and utensils contaminated with the virus. People should also be mindful of clothing, towels, or other items such as spoons, bowls, and glasses of water that could have been used by someone with monkeypox. The virus can also be passed from mother to child through the umbilical cord during childbirth or after through direct contact if a parent has the virus.
The Ministry of Health also recommends practicing safe sex by using condoms and avoiding having multiple sexual partners. It advised avoiding direct contact with people who have symptoms of monkeypox and contact with items belonging to those with symptoms. It is also important to practice good hygiene and to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water or hand sanitizer or alcohol if soap and water is not available.
The Ministry stated that individuals suspected or confirmed to have monkeypox must be kept in isolation until the rash is gone and a negative result is obtained. Individuals who provide care for monkeypox patients must use proper self-protection measures.
The Ministry recommends consulting with a healthcare professional for individuals experiencing symptoms such as a rash, blisters, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle aches and low back pain, fatigue. The public can call 115 for advice and consultation.
On the morning of December 13, 2023, the Ministry of Health announced the discovery of a case of a man with monkeypox, residing in Pese village in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district. Before being tested positive for monkeypox on November 30, 2023, the man began to have symptoms in the genitals, which then spread to the right neck, cheeks, forearms and legs, when he sought medical attention at a hospital and was sent for testing at the National Institute of Public Health on December 11, 2023.
