Queiroga rules out public emergency in the country due to monkeypox

The monkeypox outbreak does not require, so far, that Brazil declare a public health emergency of national importance, in the assessment of Marcelo Queiroga. The minister mentioned, however, the possibility of São Paulo resorting to the measure, since it concentrates the majority of cases registered in the country.

“At this moment, there are no requirements for Espin (public health emergency of national importance), because most of the cases are in the state of São Paulo, and there is even the possibility of a public health emergency of importance regional, but the secretary [de Saúde] did not speak of it. So, when the need arises, the minister is here,” Queiroga said at a press conference held on Monday (15).

In the interview, the minister mentioned the request for recognition of a public health emergency for the entire country made by Conass (National Council of Health Secretaries) last week, but reiterated that there is no demand for action.

“Espin has criteria for being recognized. I spoke here about the United States and Australia, the only countries in the world that have recognized it. So far, I have not received any technical request from the area to consider or not the issue of an ordinance in relation to Espin,” added Queiroga.

“Then I ask: let’s suppose that I recognized today, what was going to change? Our vigilance was reinforced during the public health emergency of national importance resulting from Covid-19”, added the minister.

In July, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, president of the WHO (World Health Organization) declared that the current outbreak of monkeypox constitutes an Espii (public health emergency of international importance), advising governments to increase their monitoring actions. The United States and Australia, cited by the Minister of Health, are the countries that have announced Espin so far.

São Paulo concentrates cases

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health, there are 2,985 confirmed cases of the disease in Brazil. Of these, 2,019 are in the state of São Paulo.

The São Paulo Health Department told Sheet that the government is structured and prepared to deal with monkeypox in the state, with care, diagnoses, surveillance, and capacity building and training for the entire health network.

According to the folder, the Emílio Ribas Network to Combat Monkeypox has 93 back-up hospitals, including maternity hospitals, for the care of serious cases of the disease. Mild and moderate cases are treated in the basic network, the gateway to assistance, trained by the municipalities and the State Epidemiological Surveillance. Training takes place weekly for the health network for monitoring, surveillance and clinical management. The Surveillance also developed protocols and lines of care to assist the population.

The diagnosis, coordinated by the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL), accredited 16 other private and university services for the processing of virus samples. The network also has the Central unit in the Capital of Lutz and 12 other regional units. The samples are used for epidemiological and genomic analysis.

Also according to the statement, the actions of the Government of São Paulo include a 0800 service, with 24-hour on-call doctors, to answer questions from these professionals about the diagnosis and clinical management of patients infected with the virus. In addition, educational communication actions are being carried out by the network for the population throughout the state, with a focus on prevention and identification of signs and symptoms suggestive of monkeypox.