Egypt's First Monkeypox Detected

FILE - The monkeypox vaccine is seen inside a cooler during a vaccination clinic at the OASIS Wellness Center, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in New York.

Egypt's health officials have identified the country's first case of monkeypox in a 42-year-old man who frequently travels to Europe, making Egypt the latest Middle Eastern country to record the smallpox-related disease.

The Egyptian Health Ministry statement, issued late Wednesday, also stated that the patient's contacts, who has EU residency, are being tracked in accordance with international medical standards suggested by the World Health Organization.

The statement did not say where exactly the case was detected or elaborate further.

The Egypt is the most recent Middle Eastern country to identify monkeypox cases. Israel and the United Arab Emirates discovered the viral disease in May, while Lebanon did in June.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 56,000 cases have been detected in 102 countries around the globe so far.

Since monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America were identified in May, the World Health Organization and other health agencies have noted that its spread was mostly in men who have sex with men.

The virus originates in primates and other wild animals and causes fever, body aches, chills and fatigue in most patients. People with more serious illness can develop a rash and lesions on the face, hands and other parts of the body.

The smallpox-related disease is commonly found in parts of central and west Africa. Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, monkeypox can be fatal for up to 6% of cases and is thought to be more severe in children.