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Malta has not had any cases of smallpox in the country this year, the Ministry of Health said on Monday, but advised tourists travelling to affected countries to take precautions to avoid infection.
The Ministry of Health said in a statement that people who have travelled to affected countries and have had close contact with affected communities or who live in affected countries are at a moderate risk of contracting the virus. Those who have travelled to affected countries but have not had close contact with local communities are considered to be at a low risk of infection.
“The Maltese health authorities are closely monitoring any potential cases. Surveillance systems have been strengthened to allow for rapid identification and response to any suspected cases of MPOX. Early diagnosis is vital and the public is being informed on how to recognise the symptoms.”
The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding close contact with people who have a rash similar to that of cowpox, and avoiding contact with objects and materials used by people with cowpox. The Ministry of Health also recommends washing hands frequently with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Anyone who experiences symptoms of MPOX, or has been in close contact with someone who has the virus, should discuss testing and treatment with their GP.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared the ongoing MPOX outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
A global public health emergency is the highest level of alert under the International Health Regulations, which are legally binding on 196 countries.
The virus, formerly known as monkeypox, was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Cowpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through infected animals but can also be spread from person to person through close physical contact.
The disease causes fever, muscle aches and large, boil-like skin lesions.
In May 2022, mpox infections surged worldwide due to subgroup 2b, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men.
WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency, to last from July 2022 to May 2023. The outbreak, which has now largely subsided, resulted in about 90,000 cases and about 140 deaths.
But the new clade 1b subclade that has surged in the Democratic Republic of Congo since September 2023 causes more severe disease than clade 2b. The former also has a higher mortality rate.
Since 2009, only seven public health emergencies have been declared, including: H1N1 swine flu, polio, Ebola, Zika, Ebola again, COVID-19, and swine fever.
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