Sudan detects first case of monkeypox in West Darfur, say authorities

Sudan says it has detected the country's first case of the monkeypox virus in the conflict-wrecked Darfur region.

Monkeypox
Monkeypox (Illustration: Reuters)
AP Cairo
2 min read Last Updated : Aug 01 2022 | 5:44 PM IST

Sudan says it has detected the country's first case of the monkeypox virus in the conflict-wrecked Darfur region.

The Health Ministry said late on Sunday that the 16-year-old student's case was discovered last week in West Darfur province. It did not give further details about the patient.

The ministry said there were at least 38 suspected cases of monkeypox and all tested negative to the virus but one in West Darfur.

It said health authorities were working to determine the student's contacts to limit the spread of the virus.

An outbreak of monkeypox could be devastating for Sudan, which suffered from decades of conflict in Darfur and other parts of the country, and international isolation. The East African nation is in turmoil since a military coup last year derailed its short-lived transition to democracy.

The virus originates in primates and other wild animals and causes fever, body aches, chills and fatigue in most patients. People with severe cases can develop a rash and lesions on the face, hands and other parts of the body.

The smallpox-related disease was commonly found in parts of central and west Africa, before spreading to different parts of the world.

The World Health Organisation last month declared the monkeypox a global emergency, to ensure that the world takes the current outbreaks seriously.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :SudanVirusesAfricans

First Published: Aug 01 2022 | 5:44 PM IST

Next Story