With confirmed cases of monekypox as close as Hawaii, Guam’s Department of Public Health and Social Services is on heightened alert for the disease.
“We’ve had suspicions, but there is nothing confirmed. There’s always a suspicion, that’s why we have those case investigators out there investigating every suspicion, every lead to make sure that we get ahead of anything before it turns into a problem,” said Chima Mbakwem, infectious disease adviser for Public Health.
At least four suspected cases were reported as of Friday, though none were monkeypox, Mbakwem said.
An unrelated bacterial skin infection was the cause of two reports, said Dr. Bob Leon Guerrero, Public Health acting chief medical officer. The disease is in the same family as smallpox, though less severe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.