RUYIGI, August 5th (ABP) – The population of Ruyigi is called on to respect and rigorously observe the preventive measures to avoid the spread of Monkeypox, for which two positive cases have already been recorded in that province.
The chief of staff in the office of the governor, Mr. Valéry Nkunzimana, recalls that hand washing and avoiding hugs are the main watchwords to ban the endemic spread of this disease. He made this appeal the day after a multi-sectoral meeting of administrative officials, political parties, religious denominations, NGOs working in Ruyigi, to take stock of the state of play of the disease in that province. During that meeting, the chief of staff in the office of the governor of Ruyigi acknowledged that the province has already recorded two cases of people who tested positive for monkeypox. He informed the assembly present on-the-spot that these cases were identified, one in the health district of Butezi, Butaganzwa district, and the other at the Ruyigi district hospital. He called on all those present at the meeting to take their responsibility in the fight against this scourge which has already been reported in that province.
He further stressed that awareness-raising must be carried out in each district and in each household. That person in authority added that the greatest priority at the moment is to take the lead in fight against this disease and to prevent it from spreading by blocking any possibility of contamination of new cases. Thus, he insisted, health facilities have the duty to continue research to identify all contact persons and to isolate them if necessary, so that they cannot continue to pose threats to the health of the rest of the population.
People from the districts that have already presented positive cases are called upon to remain vigilant and to launch an early alert for each case that presents suspicious clinical signs such as a severe cough, outbreaks of body temperature, rash and others.
He recalled that the routes that constitute entry points such as exchanges of kisses, hugs, face-to-face dialogue at a very close distance are strictly prohibited, and that hands must be washed on a regularly basis. He pointed out that this disease is also transmitted sexually and that sexual vagrancy must therefore be abandoned for those who still do it. He was optimistic that this monkey pox will disappear with the involvement of everyone until it is completely eradicated. He also reassured the population that this disease has appropriate medical treatments and that it is curable when it is treated in time.