Manama: Bahrain’s ministry of health on Thursday announced the opening of pre-registration for the voluntary monkeypox virus vaccination for all citizens and residents, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.
Limited stock is currently available in the country. Hence, as per the health protocols, only those who belong to the priority categories are currently eligible to get the vaccine.
Front-line health workers and those in high-risk categories will be the first to receive the vaccine.
No monkeypox case has so far been reported in Bahrain, yet the ministry said the vaccination is part of the strategy to “secure the needed medical and logistical resources to curb the spread of the disease.”
The ministry added it has put in place testing, isolation and treatment procedures based on the WHO recommendations and standards.
Citizens and residents can register through the website (healthalert.gov.bh) or by calling the 24/7 hotline 444.
On Saturday, July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency due to the outbreak of monkeypox, as the classification is the highest alert that the organization can issue.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the spread of the disease, which is now in more than 70 countries, as an “extraordinary” situation.
As of Thursday, August 4, the number of confirmed cases of monkeypox has crossed the 25,000 mark in more than 75 countries, in an outbreak of which Europe is most affected.
About Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a viral infection that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest regions of central and western Africa, and may sometimes spread to other regions.
The monkeypox virus was first discovered in 1958, and the first human case was reported in Africa in 1970, and this is not the first time that the virus has spread outside Africa, and people with monkeypox usually have symptoms that include
- Fever
- Rash that resembles smallpox
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Other health complications
Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with a substance contaminated with the virus, but it is less prevalent than other infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and seasonal influenza.
