The health ministry said it has implemented preventive measures at all points of entry in line with its strategy to prevent the entry of infectious diseases into the country.

The ministry added that quarantine departments have been placed on high alert and are taking precautions against the virus.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has assessed that the rise of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its spread to more African countries represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

On Wednesday, the WHO declared a global public health emergency, for the second time in two years, due to a virus outbreak in the DRC that has spread to surrounding African nations like Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, and Rwanda..

Symptoms
 

The Monkeypox virus causes full-body lesions. 

It spreads by close contact, primarily through direct interaction with skin rashes, contaminated clothing or bedding, or respiratory droplets from an infected person.

Mpox infections typically result in a painful rash and the development of blisters on the palms of the hands.

History of outbreak
 

Mpox is caused by the Orthopoxvirus, and it was first identified in humans in 1970 in the DRC.

In July 2022, the multi-country outbreak of Mpox was declared a PHEIC due to its rapid spread through sexual contact in countries where the virus had previously been unknown, according to WHO.

The PHEIC was lifted in May 2023 after a sustained decrease in global cases.

Mpox has been reported in the DRC for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has steadily increased over that period.  

The year 2023 saw a significant rise in reported cases, while 2024’s count has already surpassed last year’s total, with over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported so far.

According to the Egyptian health ministry, research indicates that Mpox remains a significant international health concern, even though it is not expected to become a pandemic like COVID-19.

However, the WHO has not recommended any international travel restrictions related to Mpox, but has suggested enhancing surveillance and screening measures to identify and manage cases.

Health emergencies do not always escalate to pandemics, as specific criteria are used to make such a declaration. Out of seven emergency declarations for various diseases, only swine flu and coronavirus have become pandemics.