Monkeypox cases rise to three in Russia’s Moscow region

The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Russia’s Moscow region has risen to three, according to information released via the Telegram channel of Domodedovo Hospital, where the patients are currently undergoing treatment.

In its statement, the hospital said that three patients with confirmed monkeypox diagnoses remain hospitalised.

“At present, three patients with a confirmed diagnosis of monkeypox continue to undergo treatment at Domodedovo Hospital. All patients are in satisfactory condition and are receiving routine medical care,” the statement noted.

The medical institution also reported that Rospotrebnadzor is conducting regular monitoring of biological samples.

Earlier in February, a 41-year-old man was admitted to Domodedovo Hospital with a high fever. He was diagnosed with monkeypox and hospitalised. It was reported that the patient may have infected two of his friends, while he himself stated that he had not travelled abroad during the previous six months. Commenting on the situation, Rospotrebnadzor said it had identified individuals who had been in contact with the infected person and placed them under medical supervision.

Monkeypox, also known as mpox, is a viral disease characterised by a skin rash or lesions affecting the skin or mucous membranes. Symptoms typically last between two and four weeks and may include fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.

The monkeypox virus was first identified in 1958 in Denmark among monkeys used for research. The first confirmed human case was recorded in 1970 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Following the global eradication of smallpox in 1980, mpox cases began appearing more frequently across parts of Central, East, and West Africa.

In May 2022, a sudden outbreak of mpox spread rapidly across Europe, the Americas, and all six regions of the World Health Organisation, after which the number of reported infections and related deaths increased worldwide.

By Tamilla Hasanova