ADDIS ABABA, May 29 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Ethiopian Ministry of Health announced that coordinated health monitoring and inspection measures are being implemented to prevent a potential mpox outbreak.
On Sunday, the East African country reported its first mpox case when a 21-day-old infant tested positive for the virus in the Moyale town near the Kenyan border.
At a news briefing on Wednesday, Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said subsequent testing had confirmed both of the child’s parents were also infected with the virus, bringing the total number of cases to three.
The minister said that coordinated contact tracing activities are currently underway, with dedicated rapid response teams deployed across various regions.
She said mpox screening and testing have begun at all entry and exit checkpoints, including the country’s border-crossing points and major international gateways.
The Ethiopian government has also identified areas that are considered vulnerable, Daba said.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. — NNN-XINHUA