Gambia Declares Alert After Mpox Case Detected

The Gambia has declared an alert due to mpox, following the detection of a case, amid a surge in the epidemic in West Africa.

The Gambian Ministry of Health announced the detection of the case through the surveillance system and emphasized the need for immediate response. Contact tracing and sequencing of the virus genome have begun.

Mpox, caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, causes fever, muscle pain, and rashes. It was first identified in the DRC in 1970. In 2022, it spread worldwide, mainly among men who have sex with men.

The WHO has declared the highest level of alert for the mpox epidemic. Outbreaks are also being recorded in Liberia and Guinea.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ