Epidemiological surveillance of monkeypox is maintained in Panama through the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies, and there are no suspected cases of the disease in the country said the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, on Thursday.

"We are also working with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in conjunction with other countries to have the specific test" to detect those infected, Sucre said.

He added that at this time the Gorgas Institute for Health Studies "is trained to be able to diagnose" the presence of the virus.

Sucre's statements came after the Costa Rican Ministry of Health reported that the suspected case of monkeypox in the Central American country had been ruled out.

Regarding covid-19, he explained that recombined cases are occurring in the country, that is, patients have been infected with two different variants of Omicron, for example, with BA.1 and BA.2.

 Advisor to the Ministry of Health, Eyra Ruiz, announced that a new batch of pediatric vaccines will be arriving in Panama in the coming days to continue with the application to minors.

Ruiz mentioned that in the next few days the drugs Molnupiravir and Paxlovid will arrive in the country, which seeks to reduce the impact of covid-19 on patients with chronic diseases.