Egypt has detected its first
monkeypox case in a 42-year-the old Egyptian who has residency in a European
country and frequently visits it, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday
adding that the patient has been quarantined in an isolation-designated
hospital.
The male patient was detected during epidemiological monitoring procedures the ministry is carrying out and his condition is stable, a statement by the health ministry revealed.
All required health and preventive measures have been taken with the patient's contacts in accordance with the treatment and follow-up procedures approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), the ministry said without disclosing the names of the European country and the hospital where the patient has been admitted.
Since July, the ministry has raised the level of surveillance and the availability of diagnostic tools in all land and sea ports, and also raised awareness and training medical personnel on diagnosis and referral.
Cases of monkeypox have been reported from countries where the disease is not endemic since early May 2022, the WHO says, and continue to be reported in several endemic countries.
Most confirmed cases with travel
history reported travel to countries in Europe and North America, rather than
West or Central Africa where the monkeypox virus is endemic, the WHO indicates
on its official website.
The number of cases reported this year eclipse the number reported since monkeypox was first identified in 1958 – although there has been significant underreporting in Africa, according to remarks by WHO Director-General Tedros Gebreyesus on 4 September.
More than 50,000 monkeypox cases and 16 deaths have been reported to the WHO since the outbreak began earlier this year, according to Gebreyesus.
Source: Al-Ahram Online
