UAE announces first case of monkeypox
The Emirates is the second country in the Middle East to report a case of the virus, after Israel. There have been no deaths associated with the recent worldwide outbreak.
The United Arab Emirates has announced its first case of monkeypox.
The victim is a 29-year-old woman who recently arrived in the UAE from an unspecified West African country. She is receiving medical care, and health authorities are monitoring who she came into contact with, the official Emirates News Agency reported today.
What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is a virus that causes the eponymous disease. It is primarily prevalent in tropical areas of Central and West Africa, but cases have been reported in recent years in the United Kingdom, Singapore and other places. Humans get monkeypox through close contact with other infected humans or animals, or via contaminated material. Symptoms of the disease include fever, rash and swelling. The death rate from the disease is 3-6%, according to the World Health Organization.
Some countries where monkeypox has historically been prevalent lack adequate health care, which could lead to a higher death rate.
