Russia has documented its first case of monkeypox, the press service of Russia's consumer rights protection regulator Rospotrebnadzor reports.
A young man who returned from Europe went to the doctor with a rash typical of monkeypox. His symptoms are mild, there is no threat to his life.
The regulator notes that the patient’s contacts were limited on his return to Russia. He lived alone in his apartment.
“All contacts have been determined in time. They are under medical supervision. If the diagnosis is confirmed, they will receive the necessary medical treatment. Due to the timely contact tracing, the threat of further spread of the disease has been mitigated. The situation is under Rospotrebnadzor’s strict control,” the agency said.
The risk of mass spread of monkeypox is relatively low, however, airborne transmission from person to person is possible in case of prolonged contact.
The virus can also be transmitted through contact with the infected person’s skin.
In late June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported over 3,200 cases of monkeypox and one monkeypox-related death in 48 countries.
The first case of monkeypox was documented in 1970 on the territory now considered a part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, cases of the disease have been documented in different parts of Africa.
So far, there is no vaccine against this disease. However, WHO suggests that smallpox vaccination provides a high level of protection against monkeypox.