Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Public Health Authority (Weqaya) on Saturday, August 17, said that no cases of monkeypox (mpox) clade 1 have been detected in the Kingdom.
The authority emphasized the strength and effectiveness of the Kingdom’s health sector, which is well-prepared to confront different health risks.
The Kingdom has taken comprehensive preventive measures to enhance monitoring, prevent the spread of the virus, and safeguard the population’s health.
According to the authority, its preventive strategies include awareness campaigns, epidemiological investigations, and a coordinated response to infectious diseases with an epidemiological impact. These measures are designed to ensure rapid and effective responses to any potential outbreaks.
It urged the public to rely on information from official sources and to avoid being misled by rumors or unreliable reports.
The public was also advised against traveling to countries where mpox has been detected.
The Ministry of Health in Oman and Kuwait also confirmed that no cases of mpox have been reported in their respective countries.
On Wednesday, August 14, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global health emergency due to an outbreak of Mpox, which can be transmitted through direct contact with infectious skin or lesions.
Since the start of the year, Africa has reported 18,737 suspected or confirmed cases of mpox.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, the country hardest hit by the new Clade 1b strain, reported 1,005 cases and 24 deaths in a week.
This week, the first cases of mpox were reported in Sweden and Pakistan, outside of Africa.
