Mpox precautions taken: 'Hopefully it won't happen!'

The World Health Organization is making a series of alarming statements due to the Mpox virus spreading rapidly in Africa. 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for global action to bring the mpox virus under control. Ghebreyesus stated that 135 million dollars will be needed to combat mpox over the next six months. 

If the virus spreads at this rate, it carries the risk of becoming a global pandemic like Covid-19. Many European countries have tightened their precautions regarding this issue. 

So, what is the situation here?

The dollar has reached 34 TL, and there has been a 40 percent hike in bridge and highway tolls. The markets are in turmoil, producers cannot catch their breath, and farmers are complaining to Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, who joined the Agriculture Workshop by phone.  The public is furious. Eight out of every ten news stories broadcast on television are about "this person shot that person, this person robbed that person." While things are like this for us, don't say, "What do I care about the monkeypox in Africa?"

Planes are landing in Turkey one after another from African countries, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the mpox virus is frequently seen...

Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu said that no one has been diagnosed with mpox in Turkey. The Minister stated, "We do not have a single patient diagnosed so far. Hopefully, we won't, but I want you to know that if we do, we will overcome it." 

The Minister put our minds at ease! In other words, our fate is once again left to 'hopefully' and 'God willing'. 

If you recall, when the coronavirus pandemic began, the then-Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca announced on March 2, 2020, following the Science Board Meeting, that "No coronavirus cases have been encountered in Turkey to date," and shared the first case with the public 8 days later. By the end of the pandemic, 100 thousand of our citizens had lost their lives. 

In other words, not encountering a case that day does not mean it won't be encountered...

European countries have already started to disinfect passengers, planes, and their belongings and cargo arriving from countries where the virus is spreading. Very serious border measures are being taken. Those entering the country are being tracked down to the addresses where they will stay. 

It has been announced that some precautions against the virus have been taken at Istanbul Airport regarding passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 11 surrounding African countries. Dr. Aykut Yener Kavak, Chief Physician of the General Directorate of Border and Coastal Health of Turkey at Istanbul Airport, listed the precautions...

Kavak stated that there is a health team ready at Istanbul Airport 24 hours a day, that they go to the aircraft door to inquire if there are any sick passengers, and that they also track the flights of the 11 countries online. 

Having a health team is good, but is going to the aircraft door and asking "Hey friend, is there anyone sick inside?" really a precaution? The online tracking system only monitors flights. In other words, despite much research, I could not find a system where the health status of passengers boarding the plane is tracked online. Unless it is my own incompetence, unfortunately, such a system does not exist!

So, as a matter of fact, as Minister of Health Memişoğlu said, "Hopefully we won't have any diagnosed patients!"