Sri Lanka confirms two new monkeypox cases

Two women who returned to Sri Lanka from overseas have been diagnosed with monkeypox, the health officials confirmed today.

According to the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, the monkeypox-infected mother-daughter duo is currently under medical care at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH).

They were found to be positive for the virus in a test conducted at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake upon their arrival from Dubai, UAE.

Meanwhile, the husband of the monkeypox-infected mother too has returned to the island recently after recovering from the virus infection while in a foreign country.

Sri Lanka confirmed its first two monkeypox cases in November 2022, three months after the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the infection a global emergency.

Monkeypox, a viral zoonotic infection, is usually observed in central and western Africa. The infection saw a rapid spread in many parts of the world earlier last year.

The most common symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes followed or accompanied by the development of a rash which can last for two to three weeks.

Rashes can be found on the face, palms of the hand, soles of the feet, eyes, mouth, throat, groin, and genital or anal regions of the body.

The symptoms typically last two to three weeks and usually go away on their own or with supportive care such as medication for pain and fever.

Human-human transmission of monkeypox happens through close contact with someone who has monkeypox rash including face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and mouth-to-skin contact, according to the WHO.