The Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Republic of Tajikistan has started preparations for the potential monkeypox outbreak in the country. Head of the department of epidemiological safety Navruz Jafarov made this statement in an interview with the ASIA-Plus News Agency on June 1.
The official noted that this disease is in the spotlight of the Ministry. He emphasised that the risk of the infection spreading into Tajikistan is very low even if the first cases of infection are confirmed in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Jafarov urged citizens not to panic, as local infectious disease specialists are on alert. He stressed that the country has established effective mechanisms to prevent such diseases locally during the coronavirus pandemic. Preventive measures are being taken at airports and border checkpoints, he added.
604 cases of monkeypox have been reported all over the world, in particular in 23 countries. After the first patient was diagnosed with the monkeypox virus in the UK on May 7, new cases began to be reported in Spain, Portugal and Germany.
