The Ukrainian healthcare system is now in the stages of preparedness and monitoring of the spread of monkeypox. However, the Ministry of Health does not expect this disease to appear in Ukraine soon, although the chance of the disease spreading across the country is very high.

This was told by the chief state sanitary doctor Igor Kuzin on the air of United News.

According to him, the Ukrainian healthcare system already has instructions on how to diagnose monkeypox.

“The chance of monkeypox spreading across Ukraine is very high. Now in the world, in the EU, 258 cases have been registered – this is 171 confirmed and 87 – suspicious. Ukraine is not a transit country for traveling to African countries. The virus is stable, it does not mutate so quickly as a coronavirus infection and the course is quite easy, that is, significantly easier than smallpox, which was famously eradicated in 1980

According to him, in order to become infected, you need long-term close contact with a sick person.

“And this is quite unlikely, given that there are no tourist routes now (in Ukraine. – Ed.) And the rather difficult transmission route is not as easy as it was during the coronavirus,” Kuzin added.

At the same time, when asked whether there will be additional restrictions for Ukrainians who were forced to stay in Europe, where there are cases of this disease, and are now returning to their homeland, Kuzin replied: “No. Because the surveillance system in each country works in such a way that each confirmed or suspicious similar case in the EU is investigated in detail… And the contacts / patients cannot leave… Our epidemiologists communicate with the Europeans quite closely and, if theoretically there is a case that a Ukrainian becomes infected in the EU, he will be there, until full recovery.”

Recall that monkeypox is spreading across Europe: a dangerous disease has already been found in 11 countries .

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