The Health Authorities on Friday said the first case of an imported case of Mpox had been registered in Malta.
The case, which was sexually transmitted, involves an individual who is currently clinically stable and does not require hospital admission. The patient has been isolated and contact tracing efforts are underway to prevent further transmission.
At this stage, the specific Clade of the Mpox virus of this case has not been identified
In a statement, the health authorities urged the public to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of Mpox transmission:
- Practice safe sex and have open conversations with partners about sexual health.
- Avoid close contact with individuals who exhibit symptoms of Mpox, such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Maintain good hygiene practices, including regular hand washing with soap and water.
- Seek medical advice if you experience symptoms or have been in contact with someone diagnosed with Mpox.
The Public Health authorities said they remain committed to safeguarding public health and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
"We appreciate the cooperation and vigilance of the community in adhering to these guidelines," the authorities said
Virologist Christopher Barbara had spoken to The Malta Independent on Sunday last week, before this first local case was detected. He said that the Maltese public should not compare their experience with the Covid-19 to mpox. Barbara had said that not only are Maltese healthcare workers vigilant for mpox and are following infection control guidelines with various diagnostic testing methods at Mater Dei, but anti-viral mpox medication is also available and mpox vaccines are in use.
Mpox was declared an "international health emergency" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 14 August. "An international health emergency means that there is a situation of a public health crisis, which may spread globally," he said. "This situation could potentially constitute a public health risk to other countries beyond the affected state and would require a co-ordinated international response."
"Malta has an obligation under the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) to respond promptly following a declaration by WHO of an international health emergency. In fact, the office of the Superintendence of Public Health, within the Ministry of Health and Active Aging, was already alerted to this threat and discussions were held by stakeholders to co-ordinate a response and prepare for any possible outcomes. Healthcare workers in Malta have included mpox in their radar for surveillance of infectious diseases," he had said last week.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. There are two distinct clades of the virus: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). In 2022-2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by the clade IIb strain. The WHO says that a global outbreak of clade IIb began in 2022 and continues to this day, including in some African countries. "There are also growing outbreaks of clades Ia and Ib affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa. As of August 2024, clade Ib has also been detected beyond Africa."
The WHO says that common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2-4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. "Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals."
"Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present," the WHO says.