30 May 2022 | 12:34 AM UTC
Middle East: Monkeypox cases reported in multiple countries in region as of late May
Officials report monkeypox cases in Israel, Iran, and the UAE as of late May. Maintain basic health precautions.
Event
Health officials have identified several cases of monkeypox in multiple Middle Eastern countries as of late May. The UAE has reported four confirmed cases of the disease, including at least one case in a traveler arriving from West Africa that is unrelated to the ongoing multicountry outbreak. Israeli health officials have identified three suspected cases of monkeypox, including two confirmed in the cities of Ashkelon and Tel Aviv. Iranian authorities have also reported three suspected cases; laboratory results are pending and location details were not immediately provided. These figures represent the most recent data available as of May 29.
Context
Many of the cases in this widespread outbreak have reported attending one or more recent mass gatherings in Antwerp, Madrid, or Gran Canaria, Spain, or reported recent close contact with an attendee; mass gatherings always present an elevated risk of infectious disease transmission. Monkeypox transmission can occur among people in close physical contact, with clusters of these cases reported among men having sex with men (MSM). The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant safe sexual practices and suggests monkeypox can be sexually transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners.
Monkeypox does not naturally occur in the Middle East; most cases are reported in West and Central Africa, primarily in the DRC, Nigeria, and Cameroon among individuals who report contact with wild rodents or other mammals which may harbor the disease.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, monkeypox is not the same as smallpox, and it does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Monkeypox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding). Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
Advice
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas and consider using safe sexual practices, such as physical barriers (condoms), in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas.
