Dr. Alisha Bonadie, District Medical Officer, is asking Vincentians to seek medical assistance as soon as possible if they encounter any signs of the monkeypox virus.
Bonadie stated on radio earlier this week that while no cases of the virus have been detected in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, people must remain vigilant because there are verified cases in the region.
“If you are experiencing the symptoms I just mentioned, seek medical attention as soon as possible, particularly in relation to the rash.” Don’t just assume it’s chicken pox or a heat rash; let us take a look, establish a diagnosis, and if necessary, undertake the necessary testing; testing can be done here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Bonadie also warns pregnant women to be cautious because the Monkeypox virus can be passed on to a fetus by the mother during pregnancy.
“We talked about patients who are immunocompromised for whatever reason, whether they have HIV or not; we talked about patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.” These are our high-risk categories, as are pregnant women; they can pass this on to the fetus. The study would indicate that monkeypox may be passed from a pregnant mother to the fetus via the placenta.”
Mpox symptoms
People with mpox often get a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth or near the genitals, including penis, testicles, labia, and vagina, and anus. The incubation period is 3-17 days. During this time, a person does not have symptoms and may feel fine.
The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing.
The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.
Other symptoms of mpox can include:
Fever
Chills
Swollen lymph nodes
Exhaustion
Muscle aches and backache
Headache
Respiratory symptoms (e.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
You may experience all or only a few symptoms
Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash.
Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms.
Others only experience a rash.
How long do mpox symptoms last?
Mpox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms, they will usually develop a rash 1-4 days later.
A person with mpox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. As of February 2023, new data show that some people can spread mpox to others from one to four days before their symptoms appear. It’s not clear how many people this has affected during the current outbreak. There is currently no evidence showing that people who never develop symptoms have spread the virus to someone else. CDC will continue to monitor the latest information about how mpox spreads.
