Malaysia detects 2nd mpox case in 3 months

ANKARA

Malaysia detected a second mpox case, bringing the tally to two in the last three months, local media reported on Wednesday.

The Health Ministry said the latest case involves a 34-year-old Malaysian with a history of international travel within the past 21 days, the local English news website Free Malaysia Today reported.

The ministry further said the patient has already been isolated and is currently in stable condition.

The country registered its first mpox case in September.

The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency in August for the second time in two years, following the spread of a new variant of the viral infection from Congo to neighboring countries.

Mpox is a viral disease, formerly called monkeypox before the WHO changed its name in 2022 because of complaints it was racist and stigmatizing.

The zoonotic disease can be transmitted to humans through close physical contact with an infectious person or small wild animal, or via contaminated materials.

Common symptoms include rashes or lesions, as well as a flu-like fever, head and muscle aches, back pain, general weakness, and swollen lymph nodes.​​​​​​​