The 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in Colombia is a part of the
outbreak of
human mpox caused by the West African clade of the
monkeypox virus. The outbreak reached
Colombia on 23 June 2022.[1]
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox)[3] is an infectious
viral disease that can occur in humans and a wide range of other animals.[4] Symptoms include a
rash that forms
blisters and then crusts over, fever, and
swollen lymph nodes.[4] The illness is usually mild and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment.[5] The time from
exposure to onset of symptoms ranges from five to twenty-one days and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks.[6] Cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women or people with suppressed immune systems.[7]
The disease is caused by the
monkeypox virus,[a] a
zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus. The
variola virus, the causative agent of the disease
smallpox, is also in this genus.[4] Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infected skin or body fluids, including sexual contact.[4] People remain infectious from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and healed.[7] It may spread from infected animals by handling infected meat or via bites or scratches.[7] Diagnosis can be confirmed by
PCR testing a lesion for the virus'
DNA.[4]
In May 2022, the
World Health Organization (WHO) made an emergency announcement of the existence of a multi-country
outbreak of
mpox, a
viral disease then commonly known as
"monkeypox".[8] The initial cluster of cases was found in the
United Kingdom,[9] where the first case was detected in
London on 6 May 2022[10] in a patient with a recent travel history from
Nigeria (where the disease is
endemic).[11] On 16 May, the
UK Health Security Agency (
UKHSA) confirmed four new cases with no link to travel to a country where mpox is endemic.[10] Subsequently, cases have been reported from many countries and regions.[12] The outbreak marked the first time mpox had spread widely outside
Central and
West Africa. There is evidence that the disease had been circulating and evolving in human hosts over a number of years prior to the outbreak. The outbreak was of the Clade IIb variant of the virus.[13]
On 23 July 2022, the Director-General of WHO,
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared the outbreak a
public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), stating that "we have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little".[14] A global response to the outbreak included public awareness campaigns in order to reduce spread of the disease, and repurposing of smallpox vaccines.[15][16]
History
May 2022
As of May, the Colombian Ministry of Health was taking follow-up and control measures. The Director of Epidemiology and Demography of the Ministry of Health, Claudia Cuellar, informed the Colombian population about how mpox is spread through people, and she spoke about the clinical presentation of the virus and international health regulations.[17] Health authorities in the
Department of Norte de Santander have been on alert, since the department is a border area where people pass between Colombia and Venezuela.[18]
June 2022
On June 23, 2022, the Colombian Ministry of Health confirmed three cases of mpox, specifically two in the city of
Bogotá and one in
Medellín.[19] The two cases reported in Bogota were of people who had traveled to Europe.[20] The first case identified in Medellin was a person who had been infected while traveling to the European city of
Barcelona in Spain.[21]
July 2022
On July 8, the National Institute of Health confirmed a new case of the disease in Bogota from a person who had been in contact with an infected person from Italy when they had traveled to Europe.[22] On July 23, following the follow-up of several cases, health authorities began an extensive surveillance phase.[23] On the same day, the National Institute of Health confirmed that the number of cases in the country reached 10.[24] On July 25, the first case of a person who had been in Argentina was reported in the
department of Cundinamarca, specifically in the municipality of
Cajicá.[25] On July 29, the first case was detected in
Pereira, capital of the
department of Risaralda.[26] On July 30, the National Institute of Health confirmed the first case in the
department of Valle del Cauca, specifically in the city of
Cartago located in the north of the department.[27]
August 2022
On August 1, the Mayor's Office of
Cali City opened a hotline to receive information when a person reports suspected cases of this disease.[28] On August 3, the first case was confirmed in the Department of
La Guajira of a man who had traveled to Bogotá.[29] The case was detected in the municipality of
Albania, which is located in the center of the department.[30] After the first case was detected in La Guajira, health authorities in the neighboring
department of Cesar increased their alert. The department's health secretary, Guillermo Girón, indicated that prevention measures should be increased due to the proximity to La Guajira.[31] On August 4, the first case was confirmed in the city of
Bucaramanga, capital of the
department of Santander.[32] On the same day, the first case was registered in the
department of Tolima, specifically in the capital city of
Ibagué, of a person who had traveled to the United States.[33] On August 5, the first case was confirmed in the capital of the
department of Bolívar,
Cartagena.[34] On August 11, the first case of this disease was detected in
Popayán, capital of the
Cauca department.[35] On August 12, the first case of mpox in
Riohacha, capital of La Guajira, was confirmed.[36] On August 15, the first case was confirmed in the city of
Cúcuta, capital of the
department of Norte de Santander, in a man who had traveled to Mexico and the United States.[37] On the same day, the first case was reported in
Barranquilla, capital city of the
Atlántico department.[38] On August 16, the first case was reported in Cali, capital city of the Valle del Cauca department.[39] On August 17, the first case was confirmed in the capital of the
department of Quindío,
Armenia.[40] On August 20, the first case was reported in the city of Villavicencio, capital of the
Meta department.[41] On August 31, the
José María Córdova airport carried out the first simulation in the country in order to deal with contagions of the disease.[42] On August 26, the first one was confirmed in the
department of Sucre, specifically in the municipality of Tolú in the western part of the department.[43] On August 29, the first case was confirmed in
Tunja, capital of the
department of Boyacá.[44]
September 2022
On September 7, the health authorities of the
department of Cesar confirmed the first case in the department, specifically in
Valledupar.[45] On September 9, the first case was confirmed in the capital of
Putumayo, Mocoa, according to Adriana Medicis, health secretary of the departmental government, explained that the case was a person residing in
Mocoa.[46] Also on the same day, the first case was confirmed in the city of
Neiva, the capital of the
Huila department.[47]
Vaccination
In August 2022, the Colombian government requested from the
Pan American Health Organization the vaccines to immunize the country's population.[48][49] Doctor Gina Tambini, who is Colombia's representative for both the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, explained about the vaccination scheme that will be implemented in the country, which will first prioritize people who have presented symptoms of the disease or have been close to positive cases.[50]
Cumulative Case Progress
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on
Phabricator and on
MediaWiki.org.
Confirmed new cases per day
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on
Phabricator and on
MediaWiki.org.
Recoreved per day
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on
Phabricator and on
MediaWiki.org.
^The
World Health Organization (the authority on disease names) announced the new name "mpox" in November 2022. But virus naming is the responsibility of the
International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), which is currently reviewing all orthopoxvirus species. As of March 2023, the official name of the virus remains "monkeypox virus".[3]
^86 in Medellín and cases in Bello, Caldas, Copacabana, El Carmen de Viboral, Envigado, Girardota, Guarne, La Ceja y Sabaneta
^"Monkeypox – Campaign details". Department of Health and Social Care – Campaign Resource Centre.
Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-28.