Guyana has confirmed its first monkey pox case.

The patient has been identified as a 50 year old male from Region Four.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony has revealed that the patient is stable and doing well.

“We have, over the last weekend had a case of suspected monkey pox. Clinically the person had all the signs and symptoms and we have been able to confirm that by using PCR to do the confirmatory diagnosis. So we now have our first case of monkey pox in Guyana.

We have since isolated the patient so that patient is now in an isolated area at the Oceanview Hospital”

The Ministry of Health has already informed and instructed those persons who have been in close contact with the patient to quarantine.

Minister Anthony also reminds the public that there are adequate medical staff and equipment in this country to diagnose and treat Monkeypox cases.

“I don’t want people to panic because monek pox is not something that is readily transmissible. You have to be in very very close contact with that person and with the lesions on their skin and liquids from those lesions before you can actually get sick.

This is something that I’m sure, once we continue managing it as we are doing it right now, that people will be quite safe.”

Meanwhile, efforts are currently being made by the Government to procure Monkeypox vaccines through the Pan American Health Organization.