Bahamas officials to participate in training session in Jamaica this week
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas is expected to receive the training and necessary testing equipment this week to detect monkeypox at its borders as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other health agencies attempt to prevent an outbreak, according to PAHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne.
We still have the opportunity to contain this outbreak — PAHO DIRECTOR CARISSA ETIENNE
PAHO has activated its emergency response procedures in response to the health threat.
Etienne said the risk to the general public of contracting monkeypox remains low and “we still have the opportunity to contain this outbreak”.
The director said while PAHO is making vaccines available, mass vaccinations for the disease is not required nor recommended at this time.
“Our priority now is to support the detection of the virus,” she said.
“And this is essential to characterize the spread, to disrupt the chains of transmission and to stop an outbreak.
“So, we have shared technical guidance from laboratories which were not familiar with the virus hitherto.
“Last week, we carried out our first training in Brazil, organized with the country’s minister of health to strengthen the capacity of national laboratories in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
“Participants received hands-on training, on real-time, PCR, as well as critical supplies such as primers and probes to be able to carry out the tests when they returned to their home countries.
“Following this training, Venezuela was able to confirm a first case of the disease — a person with a travel history to Europe, thanks to our support.
“And this week, we are carrying out a similar training for the Caribbean, including experts from The Bahamas, Jamaica, Guyana, St Lucia and Suriname that will take part in the training in Kingston and receive the supporting testing materials as well.”
There have been 230 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the region.
The majority of those cases have been reported and confirmed within the United States and Canada.
However, PAHO expects this figure to change as countries become able to detect the virus.
Another training exercise will take place next week for Central American countries, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
“With that, we will have trained and provided critical supplies for monkeypox detection to most countries in the region,” Etienne said.
“We are also providing technical guidance on the clinical management of the disease and advice on targeted communication strategies to prevent the spread among at-risk groups.
“We are also in touch with countries and producers with regards to vaccines.
“Based on the current risk assessment Mass vaccination for monkeypox is not required nor recommended at this time.”
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee has been convened due to the spread of the Monkeypox virus to 32 non-endemic countries.
Experts will meet on June 23 to assess whether the continuing outbreak represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern — the highest level of global alert — which applies only to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and polio.
Several vaccine manufacturing companies have announced plans to rollout monkeypox-specific PCR testing
