Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Low likelihood of monkeypox spread to VI but situation being monitored– Hon Penn

Low likelihood of monkeypox spread to VI but situation being monitored– Hon Penn

Minister for Health and Social Development under the Unity Government, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), has indicated that although the likelihood of monkeypox spread in the VI community is currently low, the Chief Medical Officer and other officials will continue to monitor the situation.

This comes as Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued travel warnings and, according to Hon Penn, local health officials in the territory will work towards being prepared to detect and respond to any cases as needed, and will keep the community informed of any change in the situation.

Speaking yesterday, May 26, 2022, during a House of Assembly Sitting, Hon Penn said Monkeypox is similar to smallpox and smallpox vaccine offers some protection.

“However, smallpox vaccine is not widely available and is no longer on the immunization schedule. Any guidance will be provided by PAHO/WHO on the matter, as necessary.”

He added that testing for monkeypox is currently not available in the Caribbean and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is reportedly in discussion with PAHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess its capacity to develop this testing capability.

“In due course, it is expected that CARPHA will inform member states when the capability is available and how samples will be handled,” he revealed.

Speaking yesterday, May 26, 2022, during a House of Assembly Sitting, Hon Marlon A. Penn said Monkeypox is similar to smallpox and smallpox vaccine offers some protection, however, the vaccine is not widely available.


Local response led by Ministry of Health


In terms of local response, Hon Penn said the Ministry of Health will coordinate the dissemination of information to agencies involved in Port Health and Animal Quarantine, as well as healthcare providers and regional counterparts.

The Minister added many of the specific recommended actions from CARPHA are in place in the BVI and strengthened in response to COVID-19.

The CDC in a travel advisory has warned, "Travelers should AVOID: Close contact with sick people, including those with skin lesions or genital lesions; Contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes); Eating or preparing meat from wild game (bushmeat) or using products derived from wild animals from Africa (creams, lotions, powders);”

It said contact with contaminated materials used by sick people (such as clothing, bedding, or materials used in healthcare settings) or that came into contact with infected animals should also be avoided.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×