AYV News, April 22, 2025
The Government of Sierra Leone, through its Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Agency has earnestly urged the public to take immediate action in response to the ongoing Mpox outbreak.
According to the Ministry, the disease spreads through close contact with infected individuals, contaminated objects, or animals, posing a significant health risk.
Mpox, formerly known as Monkey Pox, has been characterised by symptoms including fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. While anyone can become infected, children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are at heightened risk.
Health experts identified the common symptoms of Mpox, which include fever, chills, headaches, skin rash or blisters on various body parts, muscle aches, back pain, and low energy. The Ministry stressed the need for early detection, advising anyone with these symptoms to seek medical attention promptly.
Transmission of Mpox occurs through direct skin-to-skin contact with infected rashes or bodily fluids, touching contaminated objects, such as clothing or bedding, and Respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. Additionally, animals can transmit the virus, and the public is advised to avoid handling sick or dead animals.
To prevent the spread of Mpox, the Ministry urged locals to practice personal hygiene through regular handwashing or using hand sanitisers, avoid close contact with infected individuals and their belongings, utilise protective gear, such as masks and gloves, when caring for suspected cases, Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces regularly.
According to the Ministry, most individuals affected by Mpoxtypically recover within 2 to 4 weeks with proper rest, hydration, and medical care, confirming that Health facilities are fully equipped to manage cases and prevent complications.
The Ministry has called on community responsibility, urging the public to report any suspected cases early to help control the outbreak, warning that Stigmatization of affected individuals is strongly discouraged, as the collective effort is crucial in managing the disease.
The Ministry confirmed that the government has secured Mpox vaccines primarily for high-risk populations and frontline health workers, asserting that ongoing active case searches in communities, coupled with community-based surveillance, aim to detect suspected cases quickly.
Additionally, as stated by the Ministry, the pilot phase of Operation “Find Them All” is now underway in the Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural regions to improve case detection efforts. Lessons learned during this pilot will inform a broader nationwide initiative.
Lastly, they affirmed that the border surveillance continues to screen incoming and outgoing travellers for symptoms of Mpox, including temperature checks and assessments of potential symptoms.
The Ministry of Health calls upon the public to report any symptoms to the nearest health facility immediately or contact 117.
Sierra Leone has recorded over 120 confirmed cases of the disease with at least two deaths. The majority of the infected populations are males, with over 90 infections.
The West African country received 61,300 vaccine doses from UNICEF and Gavi in January to combat the outbreak, but recent developments indicate that it is spiralling out of control, with the capital, Freetown, gradually becoming the epicentre.
