Analst mayor dismisses reports about mpox case, but puts medical services on alert

BRUSSELS, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) — In response to reports on Thursday that two children might have tested positive for mpox in Analst, a city some 30 km northwest of Brussels, mayor Christoph D’Haese said no such admissions have been confirmed by local hospitals.
“There is no reason to panic,” D’Haese said, noting that no patients have been admitted to either the OLV hospital or the Aalst Regional Hospital (ASZ) with such symptoms.
But he said medical services, including OLV hospital and ASZ, have been put on alert and the city’s emergency response team is closely monitoring the situation, according to Belgian media outlet Het Laatste Nieuws.
Reports surfaced Thursday morning that a doctor identified symptoms of mpox in two children who had recently traveled from Paris and the children were referred to a hospital.
D’Haese said that procedures established in 2022 are in place to ensure patient safety in the event of a mpox incident and the situation is being monitored daily.
Belgian Virologist Marc Van Ranst noted that mpox spreads more slowly than COVID-19, primarily through close skin contact or shared objects, the Het Laatste Nieuws reported.
Belgium’s Risk Management Group has increased surveillance of the virus. While the infection risk is low, there is no plan for widespread vaccination. Nevertheless, targeted measures for high-risk groups are being considered.
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