Gov't confirms first case of mpox in non-Jordanian resident

By JT - Sep 02,2024 - Last updated at Sep 02,2024

AMMAN — The Ministry of Health confirmed on Monday Jordan's first case of mpox in a non-Jordanian resident.

The ministry said the patient, a 33-year-old man, and is now receiving treatment in isolation at the Al Bashir Hospital in Amman, and is in stable condition.

The ministry said it will continue to monitor mopox and announce any detected cases, underlying preparedness and ability to handle any developments regarding the disease according to the pre-established national plan, in coordination with relevant authorities.

The disease's resurgence and the detection in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of a new strain, dubbed Clade 1b, prompted the World Health Organization to declare its highest international alert level on August 14.

The African Union's health watchdog, Africa CDC, also declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak on the continent, AFP reported.

Cases are surging in the region, with outbreaks reported in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, but have also been detected in Asia and Europe.

At least 22,863 suspected cases and 622 deaths had been reported in Africa as of August 27, the Africa CDC has recently said.

According to the WHO, Africa had 5,281 confirmed cases of mpox from the beginning of 2024 up till August 25.

The DRC, where the virus was first discovered in humans in 1970, has borne the brunt of the epidemic with 90 percent of 2024's reported mpox cases, according to the WHO.

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