Chronicle Editor
Raymon Jaravaza
THE City of Bulawayo has warned residents to be vigilant against a viral disease known as Mpox, formerly called Monkeypox, that is endemic in West and Central Africa as well as South Africa.
Mpox is characterised by fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash develops into fluid filled blisters.
The warning from the council comes after cases of the viral disease were detected in neighbouring South Africa.
A huge population of Zimbabweans lives and works in South Africa and travel frequently between the two countries.
As the festive season approaches, a lot of people will be travelling back home for the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Cross border truck drivers also travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, an epicentre of the disease, and pass through Zimbabwe enroute to South Africa.
“Mpox spreads through close contact with an infected person or animal or through contaminated materials.
“It can also spread through direct contact with body fluids, skin lessons or respiratory droplets from an infected persons.
“It also spreads prolonged face to face contact such as during coughing or sneezing as well physical contact with the infected person’s rash or sores, ” said the council in a statement.
The municipality warmed that contact with infected animals such as rodents or primates can result in a person being infected with the viral disease.
Online Reporter