BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados’ Ministry of Health on Saturday revealed that three confirmed cases of Mpox have been identified in three adults since August.

The affected individuals — one female and two males — bring the total number of Mpox cases identified in the country to six since 2022.

The ministry said the three have no apparent travel history.

However, two are known to have been in contact with each other. The cases were able to isolate at home, and contact tracing is continuing.

Mpox is an infectious disease which spreads through close contact with an infected person.

It can be spread through intimate or sexual contact, day-to-day household contact, and within healthcare settings where personal protective equipment is not used appropriately.

Mpox has also been transmitted by contaminated materials like linen or clothing.

Symptoms of infection with Mpox include skin rash or lesions in the mouth, nose or genitalia, which can last two to four weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. Most cases recover fully, however internationally, a small percentage have resulted in death.

In Barbados, all Mpox cases to date have resolved.

Persons with Mpox should be isolated until the lesions are completely healed and they are no longer contagious.