Cyprus readies for ‘new pandemic’, monkeypox

Cyprus is prepared for the “new pandemic”, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said after a wide-range meeting on monkeypox, as cases in European Union recorded a 30 per cent increase in the past week.

The emergency meeting at the Nicosia general reference hospital for monkeypox was called two days after the World Health Organisation declared monkeypox as a global public health emergency. It was attended by representatives of the state health services organisation (Okypy) who presented the management plan regarding the screening, transport and hospitalisation of the suspect cases.

It was decided that as a first stage, ten beds at the Nicosia general hospital will be assigned for suspected and confirmed cases of monkeypox as part of the national management plan, media reported after the two-hour meeting.

“I am satisfied with this plan and we will continually evaluate it…if we need to improve it, it will be something we will look at a later stage,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the exact date of the 1,400 vaccine deliveries against monkeypox, expected sometime in September, will be announced later on Monday, Hadjipantela said.

Although no infections have been recorded in Cyprus, health authorities have so far dealt with ten suspected monkeypox cases since May.

Okypy’s general manager Kypros Stavrides said this plan “has already been put in place, following the identification of ten suspected cases of monkeypox, which after being tested, were negative”.

Following WHO’s announcement on Saturday afternoon Hadjipantela had a telephone conversation with the WHO regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge.

During the phone call, the two officials discussed the data recorded at European level in relation with the disease. It was decided that, within the next few days, further guidelines will be sent regarding the handling and treatment of confirmed cases of monkeypox, a ministry announcement said on Sunday.

Hadjipantela said “we have received the procedures and guidelines”, and the meeting aimed to address “the new pandemic that is gripping the world”.

Over 16,000 cases of the disease have been recorded in more than 70 countries, while the cases are mainly found in people with multiple sexual partners.

Speaking to radio Trito, European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou said that about 9,000 cases of the virus were traced this week, translating to a 30 per cent increase compared with the previous week.

She highlighted that it was important to have preventive measures in place in all countries to prevent a possible outbreak.

The European Commission, she added, has secured more than 160,000 doses of vaccine and they have already been sent to six European Union member states where many cases have been observed.