The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Government has advised the public to be on the lookout for monkeypox, which has so far been detected in 19 countries within and outside Africa.
In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the disease, however, is not endemic in Zimbabwe.
“Monkeypox is a rare viral zoonotic disease endemic to Central and West Africa. The disease is not endemic in Zimbabwe.
“It spreads through close contact with people, animals or material infected with the virus.
“Symptoms of the disease include rash, fever, headache, muscle ache, swelling and back pain.”
The symptoms are similar but milder than those of smallpox.
Currently, there no proven treatment for monkeypox virus infection, but the disease is self-limiting (it resolves on its own within a few weeks).
But the disease can be fatal, with a case fatality rate of up to 6 percent.
