On Saturday, Saudi Arabia's health authority declared that no cases of monkeypox (mpox) have been identified in the Kingdom. The Public Health Authority (Weqaya) confirmed that no instances of mpox clade 1, the variant linked to the recent global health crisis, have been detected. Despite the international surge in mpox cases, which the WHO has deemed a public health emergency of international concern, the Kingdom remains unaffected, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Weqaya highlighted the robust and efficient nature of the Kingdom's health sector, which is equipped to handle various health threats. The Kingdom has implemented extensive preventive measures to boost surveillance, prevent virus transmission, and protect public health. These measures include awareness campaigns, epidemiological investigations, and a coordinated response to infectious diseases with epidemiological significance, ensuring swift and effective action against potential outbreaks.
Weqaya also encouraged the public to trust official information sources and refrain from spreading or believing rumors from unreliable sources. The public is advised to adopt healthy practices and avoid traveling to countries experiencing mpox outbreaks. Additionally, the Ministry of Health in Oman has affirmed that no mpox cases have been recorded in the country. Meanwhile, Pakistan's health ministry reported at least one case of mpox in a patient who had returned from a Gulf country, with provincial health authorities detecting three cases. Sweden also announced its first confirmed case of mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact.
