Monkeypox Found in Three More Countries

Health officials say the risk of widespread outbreak remains low
By Mike L. Ford,  Newser Staff
Posted May 25, 2022 2:31 PM CDT
UAE Is First Gulf State to Report Monkeypox
This 1997 image provided by the CDC during an investigation into an outbreak of monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It depicts the dorsal surfaces of the hands of a monkeypox case patient, who was displaying the appearance of the characteristic rash during its recuperative stage.   (CDC via AP)

Monkeypox has found its way to the Arabian Peninsula. The BBC reports that the United Arab Emirates is the first Gulf state to record a case, which was detected in a traveler who recently visited West Africa, the virus's usual domain. So far this year, the World Health Organization has identified 237 confirmed or suspected cases outside Africa, including in many European countries, as well as in Australia and at least three US states. Israel also reported its first case earlier this week. The WHO has linked many cases to raves in Belgium and Spain. Health officials say the virus can be contained with the right protocols and that the risk of widespread outbreak remains low.

Per the AP, UAE officials said little about the patient and declined to disclose where in the nation's seven sheikdoms the case occurred, but they are "taking all the necessary measures" to contain it. Slovenia and the Czech Republic are the latest European nations to report cases. According to Al Jazeera, Slovenian health officials found it in a man who recently returned from Spain's Canary Islands; his symptoms were mild and he did not require hospitalization.

Officials expect to contain the outbreak quickly and are telling anyone who was in contact with the infected individual "to be on alert for the next 21 days." Czech officials reported a case at the Prague Military University Hospital but declined to give details, other than to say, "It was only a question of time, we have been expecting this for days." (Existing smallpox vaccines are effective against monkeypox.)

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