Azernews.Az

By Sabina Mammadli

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office has donated 3,000 test kits for monkeypox virus to Azerbaijan to use on a need basis.

As reported before, no cases of monkeypox have been detected in Azerbaijan. However, 5,322 monkeypox cases and one death have already been recorded in 58 countries as of June 30, 2022.

According to the WHO Representative to Azerbaijan Hande Harmanci, Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to receive testing kits from the organization.

"These kits will help identify cases of infection and channel public health efforts to prevent the spread of the disease. WHO is committed to support countries through monitoring, contact tracing, and isolation of infected patients. Early diagnosis is also crucial for achieving a complete cure," she noted.

To recap, WHO held an emergency meeting on May 20 to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common in western and central Africa, after over 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe.

Monkeypox is a rare viral zoonotic disease (i.e., a disease transmitted to humans from animals). The virus can enter the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, or through the eyes, nose, and mouth. From person to person, the disease can be transmitted through prolonged close contact.

The main symptom of the disease is an unusual purulent rash that appears on the face and shortly covers the entire body.

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