Monkeypox cases on the rise, outbreak reaches 23 countries: 5 updates

Monkeypox causes fevers and skin lesions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that 257 confirmed cases and 120 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported from 23 countries where the virus is not endemic.

The global health body stated it has received reports of 1,365 cases and 69 deaths due to the virus in five African countries where monkeypox is commonly found. These cases were reported from mid-December to late May.

Here are five updates about the rapidly spreading virus:

1.) The United Arab Emirates recorded three more cases of monkeypox, the health ministry said on Monday, nearly a week after announcing the Gulf state's first case of the virus.

The ministry did not reveal any details about the individuals infected. The first case was a 29-year-old woman visiting the country from West Africa.

2.) Nigeria has confirmed 21 cases of monkeypox since the start of the year with one death reported, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said late on Sunday. The NCDC said out of 61 suspected cases of monkeypox reported since January, 21 had been confirmed with one death, that of a 40-year-old man.

"Among the 21 cases reported in 2022 so far, there has been no evidence of any new or unusual transmission of the virus, nor changes in its clinical manifestation documented (including symptoms, profile and virulence)," NCDC said.

Six of the cases were detected this month, it said.

The agency added that it expects more cases to be reported as surveillance in endemic and non-endemic countries expands.

Read more: Can children get monkeypox? What are the symptoms

4.) WHO also said the global public health risk level due to monkeypox is moderate, "considering this is the first time that monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in widely disparate WHO geographical areas, and without known epidemiological links to non-endemic countries in West or Central Africa."