Judith Pena | December 30, 2022
A Spa or apparent brothel where men who have sex with other men go is in the crosshairs of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), as the authorities are teaching in this and other places to prevent the spread of monkeypox.
This was explained by Dr. Lourdes Moreno, head of the Minsa’s Epidemiology department, clarifying that although it is true they have not received cases from hotels or houses that they quote, they are pending this specific establishment so that hygiene measures are guaranteed and biosafety and carry guidance regarding the disease, also about HIV.
“It is important that we take into account that basically the contagion is caused by the secretions, the water or liquid that the lesions have, by the scabs, by contact with those skin lesions that one has,” he said, indicating that there was a suspected case of a hotel worker but in the end it turned out to be chickenpox.
He indicated that basically all public service facilities maintain biosecurity and area cleaning measures, but he stated that there is a fairly marked turnout in specific areas, as in the case of the brothel, where men who have sex with men go. and “so these are places that are quite identified and there, well, teaching work is also done by peer groups and other organizations,” he specified.
He explained that despite the fact that the Minsa has a large amount of vaccine against monkeypox for people who are close contacts of those who test positive, on many occasions the names of the contacts are not given; Not only because they don’t want to expose the other person, but there are cases where they are having sex with unknown people. “We urge you to be selective with your partners,” she added.
Moreno explained that a total of 163 people have been studied with suspicion of monkey or monkey smallpox and of these 78 were positive in men and only one woman has resulted in the disease.
The specialist explained on Radio Panama that the cases are between the ages of 19 and 59 and that in the positive case of the woman it is difficult to determine if sexual contact was the form of contagion since those who care for people with monkeypox, if they do not keep biosecurity measures, they can be infected.
“The contagion of the woman who was diagnosed was the product of contact with her partner, who had already been diagnosed with monkeypox,” he said, but warned that the contagion could have occurred in another way and not necessarily through sexual contact.
Moreno indicated that the highest peak of cases was registered during the week of November 6 to 12 with 14 positive cases.
