Morocco on Thursday the 2nd of June 2022 confirmed its first case of the monkeypox virus, with the country’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection saying that the case was most likely imported from abroad.
In a statement, the ministry emphasized that regional and public health emergency operation centres and rapid response teams have initiated an immediate epidemiological inquiry to identify potential cases that have been in contact with the infected patient.
As part of the inquiry, the necessary preventive measures have been taken to avoid the spread of the virus in accordance with national and international security standards, the ministry noted.
Morocco’s confirmation of its first case comes a few weeks after the ministry detected a few suspected cases that later tested negative.
First discovered in the 50s, monkeypox is identified as a rare illness.
Cases in humans were recorded in the 80s.