DESPITE a call from the Ministry of Health and Wellness to remain calm as the country recorded its first monkeypox case last week, some Jamaicans have expressed concern about a possible outbreak of the disease here.

Their views were shared with the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday, following reports that the 39-year-old man whom local health authorities said tested positive for monkeypox, left the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon where he had been in isolation.

It was later confirmed that he was picked up at his home by a team made up of police and hospital staff to go back in isolation.

Here are the views of Jamaicans in the Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew, with whom the Observer spoke:

Ashanti Ritchie, 20: “Yes, I’m fearful because it is contagious and you might come in contact with someone who has it and you don’t know. It aguh spread more.”

Mr Myers, 58: “The Government na do good. Dem a miss pon this ting. Dem need fi start make people do better — see all people stop wear mask. Mi hear seh the bump dem big and painful suh mi nuh mus fraid a dat, and dat man weh run weh fi get charged.”

Ewart Breakenridge, 25: “I’m not sure if there will be an outbreak, but if the Government knows what they are doing, the steps should be taken to keep it under control as who knows what will happen. I think people need to be more careful.

Authur Phillips, 40: “Yes, for the Government doing its best to provide information for the public so that we can prevent an outbreak. But unfortunately for that patient, I thought it was a lack of security on the hospital’s part for not quarantining that patient in particular. The patient should be charged and even spend some time because he put other people at risk.”

Carlton Pryce, 52: “Not sure if an outbreak will come although we don’t know much about disease, but I am a bit afraid. The patient [who left hospital] should be fined as the rules were there and he disobeyed them. He put us at risk.”

Shakiera Osbourne, 28:“Like all other viruses I really think that this will be an outbreak. We’ve seen what happened with COVID-19. We have to take the necessary precautions and see how best we can [safeguard] ourselves and our kids. I’m not necessarily afraid; it’s just like any other viruses. We have at some point had chickenpox or flu. It’s not something I would want to catch; we all have to work and go to school.”

Roxanne Powell, 43:“Yes, there might be an outbreak but we can’t stop that. It is something that is going around and since we are mingling, the only thing we have to do is be careful, but we can’t be too careful. I’m really fearful of it and I hope it doesn’t reach me, but if it does, I would have to go with the doctor’s advice.”

Ulalee Walker, 54: “I think there will be an outbreak because people usually don’t like to isolate themselves. The first person who got it was out and he could have passed it on. But sometimes you have to have a little leniency, but he should be charged.”

Kelvin Butler, 50: “They should be dealing with it in the same way that they deal with coronavirus. Dem ago take care of it because they don’t want the spread. Me nuh fearful of that; a the crime dem fi deal wid. More people a dead from crime than COVID-19 and monkeypox.”

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton had said person-to-person spread of the virus is generally uncommon, but can occur through direct contact with monkeypox skin legions or scabs; contact with clothing or linen, such as bedding or towels used by an infected person; or through coughing or sneezing by an individual with a monkeypox rash. The virus enters the body through broken skin, even if not visible; the respiratory tract or the mucus membranes; eyes; nose; or mouth.

– Brittny Hutchinson