Announcing monkeypox cases in the UAE

Announcing monkeypox cases in the UAE

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection in the UAE announced the registration of 3 new cases of monkeypox, according to the policy followed by health authorities for early monitoring and investigation of the disease.

She recommended that community members follow all safety and health prevention measures, and take preventive measures when traveling and gatherings, and indicated that health authorities are taking all necessary measures, including investigation, examination of contacts and follow-up, in addition to continuous and diligent work to ensure the health sector's readiness for all epidemics and infectious diseases.

After a split over the decision, the World Health Organization declared, on Saturday, monkeypox a global health emergency, which is the highest level of alert the organization has, and this is done based on the recommendations of the Emergency Committee.

"We can control monkeypox, which has so far infected about 17 people in 74 countries, and stop its spread using the means we have at the moment," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.

He also added, "I decided to declare a health emergency with an international dimension" to confront this disease, explaining that the risk in the world is relatively moderate, with the exception of Europe, where it is considered high.

The unusual increase in cases of monkeypox was discovered in early May outside the countries of central and western Africa where the virus is usually endemic, and since then it has spread throughout the world and has been the epicenter of Europe.

Monkeypox, discovered in humans in 1970, is considered to be less dangerous and contagious than smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980.