Sespa states that there is no Mpox outbreak in Pará

The State Department of Public Health (Sespa) and the Municipal Health Department of Belém (Sesma) stated that Pará does not have an Mpox outbreak. This information was confirmed during a press conference held on Monday (28) at the Sespa headquarters. Authorities emphasized that the Government of Pará and the City Hall of Belém are aligned and committed to strengthening prevention, diagnosis, and treatment measures for the disease throughout the State.

The most important point highlighted was to reassure the population that there is no officially recognized Mpox outbreak in Belém or Pará. As explained by the Deputy Secretary of Health Social Policy Management, Sipriano Ferraz, there is also no epidemic or pandemic of the disease. "It is timely to reassure the population that there is no Mpox outbreak in Belém or throughout Pará. I also state that there is no epidemic or pandemic regarding this. I also affirm that health services already have recommendations from Sespa for monitoring and following up on the disease to help the population preventively," said Sipriano Ferraz.

Ferraz also emphasized the importance of municipal professionals being attentive to the notification and diagnosis flows established by Sespa, according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, to avoid the spread of the disease. "Health services already have recommendations from Sespa for monitoring and following up on the disease to help the population preventively," he declared.

Regarding misinformation, the secretary warned the population about the need to seek official sources for information about the disease, avoiding reliance on rumors or unverified news, especially on social media. "Be attentive to the news being consumed and do not believe everything that appears or is commented on social media and the internet in general. Verify the source before sharing the content and help combat misinformation," he said.

Mpox is transmitted by the eponymous virus, through people, animals, or contaminated objects, and its main symptoms include skin rashes and lesions that can appear anywhere on the body, including the genitals.

The Health Secretary of Belém, Rômulo Nina, highlighted that the disease can spread among people and, occasionally, from the environment to people, through objects and surfaces touched by infected patients. Signs and symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, chills, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.

"The disease can spread among people and, occasionally, from the environment to people, through objects and surfaces that have been touched by an infected patient," stated Rômulo Nina, Health Secretary of Belém. Other signs and symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, chills, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.

Although anyone can be infected by the virus, more vulnerable groups, such as people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and children, are more prone to severe forms of the disease.

The recommendation is that if symptoms appear, especially lesions on the genitals or other areas of the skin, the population should immediately seek basic health units or UPAs.

For prevention, it is essential to avoid contact with infected or suspected infected individuals, avoid sharing personal items such as towels and toothbrushes, wash hands regularly, sanitize daily use items, and adopt the use of condoms and masks, as well as social isolation in suspected cases.

The incubation period of the virus is between 3 to 16 days, and transmission ceases when the rashes disappear. In Pará, the diagnosis is confirmed by the Central Public Health Laboratory (Lacen). Treatment mainly consists of clinical support measures to relieve symptoms and prevent complications.

In 2023, Pará recorded 27 cases, with one death in Belém; in 2024, there were 64 cases, with no deaths; and in 2025, up to April 23, 19 cases were confirmed, with 14 in Belém, 3 in Ananindeua, 1 in Marituba, and 1 imported case.