Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said on Saturday that his institution is fully equipped to control any crisis created by global health hazard Monkeypox.

The VC said this at a press briefing held at the Shaheed Dr. Milton hall of the university.

Sharfuddin said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has termed Monkeypox as an identifiable and expansionary disease.

“Around 17,000 people have been identified with Monkeypox worldwide till now. Although no Monkeypox case has been detected in Bangladesh yet, we’re being alerted about it. We’ll be able to tackle this disease if the countrymen avoid rumors and false alarms,” Sharfuddin said.

Sharfuddin added that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the country’s first super specialized hospital built under the supervision of BSMMU on August 28.

“This hospital is also a milestone for the government like the Padma Bridge. We’ll ensure that every patient can avail treatment at this hospital,” Sharfuddin added.

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The VC also provided details about Monkeypox at the press briefing.

“Monkeypox is a DNA virus. A person contracts this virus by direct communication with a carrier of this virus or eating insufficiently cooked meat of an animal containing the virus. This virus can also be contracted from droplets of breathing. Around 26 percent people infected with Monkeypox are also identified with HIV virus and 90 percent patient infected with this virus is aged below 15 years,” said Sharfuddin.

Those infected with Monkeypox have to be treated in quarantine, said the VC.

BSMMU Pro-VC Prof Dr Saif Uddin Ahmed, Treasurer Prof Dr Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, Dean Prof Dr Debabrata Banik, among others, were present at the briefing.