Azerbaijan detects its first monkeypox case in 22-year-old returnee

A case of monkeypox (mpox) virus infection has been confirmed in Azerbaijan, according to a joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Association for the Management of Medical Territorial Units (TƏBİB).

The 22-year-old Azerbaijani citizen, who had been on a tourist trip abroad from January 2 to 11, began experiencing symptoms a few days after returning home, Caliber.Az reports via TƏBİB. 

These symptoms included fever, fatigue, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle pain. Concerned about his condition, he sought medical attention at a Baku clinic, where an infectious disease specialist suspected monkeypox. Laboratory tests later confirmed the infection.

The patient has been hospitalized and is currently receiving treatment. While his relatives show no symptoms, they are being given preventative care and will continue to be monitored throughout the incubation period.

Monkeypox, or mpox, is characterized by a skin rash or mucosal lesions that can last between 2 and 4 weeks, often accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

The monkeypox virus was first discovered in 1958 in Denmark among monkeys used for research. The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Following the global eradication of smallpox in 1980, mpox began to emerge more frequently in Central, East, and West Africa.

In May 2022, a sudden outbreak of mpox spread rapidly across Europe, the Americas, and all six World Health Organization regions. Since then, the number of mpox cases and related deaths has risen globally, including a resurgence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As of mid-2024, over 120 countries have reported more than 100,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox, resulting in over 220 deaths.

By Tamilla Hasanova