No monkeypox case detected in country yet

Dispelling the rumour of detecting a monkeypox patient, authorities of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) yesterday said no monkeypox case has been detected in the country yet.

Monkeypox, which spreads through close contact with infected people, typically causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, and may lead to a range of medical complications, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Though BSMMU has no formal surveillance network countrywide, Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, vice chancellor of the university, said they have collected the updates from the health directorate and other healthcare facilities.

"The DG office [health directorate] and other medical colleges share information with us. There is no reported case of monkeypox [in the country] as of today," he told The Daily Star yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the health directorate sources also said yesterday that no case of monkeypox were reported in the country.

On Monday, a social-media post claiming that monkeypox infection was detected in a patient at BSMMU went viral. However, it was a rumour, the doctor said.

"The matter was first brought to our attention by some responsible journalists," he added.

"We sought cooperation from journalists and the cyber crime investigation unit of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime to find the source of the rumour," he added.

With their help, it was found out that the rumour was posted by quoting Dr Asif Wahid Arko, assistant surgeon of Noakhali Senbagh Health Complex, he said.

Dr Asif, who is also a newly admitted resident of BSMMU's urology department, claimed that he did not make any such post on his social media account,  Md Sharfuddin added.

Meanwhile, more than 100 cases of the virus have been confirmed in Europe, the Americas and Australia, reports BBC. In most cases, infected persons recover within 14 to 21 days.