Lebanon detects first case of monkeypox

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Monday that authorities have detected the country’s first case of monkeypox in a person who returned from abroad and is now isolated at home.

The ministry said the person is stable and that authorities are tracking the person’s contacts. It did not provide further details.

Lebanon is the latest in the Middle East to join countries with reported monkeypox cases; Israel and the United Arab Emirates identified their first cases of the illness in May. The announcement came as Lebanon prepares for a busy summer season with hundreds of thousands of expatriates and tourists expected to visit.

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.

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