Jamaica has confirmed two more cases of the monkeypox virus, taking the number of persons with the virus to nine as health authorities indicated that while vaccines have been promised through a collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), there is no guarantee that the island will actually get the number of doses promised.
According to the authorities, the latest cases were recorded in St. James and St. Elizabeth from a male and a female who are both isolated at home in stable condition.
“The new cases have been classified as locally transmitted,” according to a government statement.
On Tuesday, Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, told Parliament that government expects 3,500 doses of vaccines by the end of September and that only persons who have been exposed to the virus will be offered the shots.
“We can’t get it to buy; it’s not on the market. We may not receive this amount as the supply of the vaccine is in high demand, with very limited supply. We are in a line, basically, as more powerful developed countries are ahead of us — as has been the case in the past,” he said.
Tufton said in order to maximize use of the vaccines, Cabinet has approved the administering of the vaccine, for now, to those who need them most first.
“So persons, based on the contact training, who would have been exposed to individuals with the virus, as opposed to pre-exposure, (will be offered doses). These persons would include health-care workers involved in direct care of monkeypox patients, household contact of cases of confirmed cases, to include sexual partners.”
Tufton said once more doses of the vaccine are available to Jamaica the prioritization method will be refined to include more categories of people.
“So we have to manage what we can get while pushing the non-clinical measures,” Tufton said, adding that the ministry is setting up isolation spaces for those with monkeypox who require hospitalization so that they are not in contact with COVID-19 patients.
“Plans are now being finalized for all health facilities, where necessary, to be retrofitted to meet the requirements for the revised procedures,” he said.
CMC/
