Cyprus confirms first monkeypox case

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Cyprus reported its first case of monkeypox on Tuesday; the 40-year-old man said to have contracted the virus had a travel history.

The Health Ministry confirmed the man was found positive for the virus after being tested at Nicosia General Hospital.

According to the Health Ministry, the man had presented clinical symptoms compatible with monkeypox.

A statement said all relevant protocols for the transport and management of the confirmed case were activated, and the 40-year-old is currently being kept in isolation and monitored at Nicosia general, the designated reference hospital for monkeypox.

Last week, the World Health Organisation WHO declared a global public health emergency for monkeypox.

While experts are concerned over an increase in monkeypox cases worldwide, the disease is not expected to cause an outbreak on the scale of the coronavirus.

Monkeypox is transmitted through close contact, causing visible symptoms and making the disease easy to diagnose.

WHO said last week that more than 18,000 new cases of monkeypox have now been reported.

Of the 78 countries, more than 70% of cases were reported in the European region and 25% from the Americas.

So far, five deaths have been reported, and about 10% of cases are admitted to hospital to manage the pain caused by the disease.