Jordan detects its first monkeypox case

Patient is a 30-year-old Jordanian man who travelled to several European countries

More than 56,000 cases of monkeypox have been detected in 102 countries around the globe. AFP

Jordan has detected its first monkeypox case, the kingdom’s Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

The patient is a 30-year-old Jordanian man who had travelled to several European countries and returned to Jordan on August 20, the ministry said in a statement.

The man later showed symptoms of monkeypox and visited a doctor on Wednesday, the ministry added.

A test result on Thursday confirmed that the man is positive for the disease. He is in quarantine at his home and in good condition, the ministry said.

On Wednesday, Egypt detected its first monkeypox case in a 42-year-old European man. The Egyptian Ministry of Health said the patient's condition was stable.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 56,000 cases have been detected in 102 countries around the globe.

Since monkeypox outbreaks in Europe and North America were first identified in May, the World Health Organisation and other agencies have noted that its spread has been mostly among men who have sex with men.

The virus originates in primates and other wild animals and causes fever, body aches, chills and fatigue in most patients.

Some people, however, can develop a rash and lesions on the face, hands and other parts of the body.

The smallpox-related disease is commonly found in parts of Central and West Africa.

Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be admitted to hospital, but the disease can be fatal in up to 6 per cent of cases and is thought to be more severe in children.