The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has confirmed that Qatar is free of any cases of mpox (previously known as Monkeypox), thanks to a comprehensive and robust range of public health measures, including heightened surveillance aimed at early detection of cases.
In a statement yesterday, the ministry explained that while the health sector has been continuously following these precautionary measures, they have been reinforced in response to the evolving situation and the World Health Organisation (WHO) ’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency. MoPH reiterated that professionals in both the public and private healthcare sectors are fully alert and prepared to manage any suspected or confirmed cases.
The health authorities are constantly monitoring potential developments as the situation evolves and are taking the necessary measures, the statement stressed noting that the MoPH is working with the relevant authorities to ensure the early detection of cases entering Qatar from the affected countries.
The ministry stressed that community members are extremely unlikely to contract the mpox virus unless they have recently travelled to the endemic countries in the African region or been in close contact with someone who has the virus.
The MoPH will continue to monitor the global and regional epidemiological situation and take all necessary precautionary measures, the statement emphasised.
These heightened public health measures follow the World Health Organisation’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency due to the rapid increase in mpox cases in the affected geographical areas within East and Central Africa, it added.
The mpox virus was first discovered in 1958, and the first human case was reported in Africa in 1970.
Mpox is a viral disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. It is transmitted through close contact with an infected person, animal, or material contaminated with the virus, and it causes fever, rashes, flu-like symptoms, and lesions. Most cases are mild, but they can be severe in children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
