Health Protection Agency (HPA) has stated that there is a slight chance that the Monkeypox virus could be discovered in the Maldives.
The agency stated that a case of Monkeypox has not yet been recorded in the Maldives or neighbouring countries but that health measures are being taken to respond to any potential outbreak, as a large number of travellers visit the Maldives.
Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. Transmission of the virus among humans is limited, but it can happen through close skin contact, air droplets, bodily fluids, and virus-contaminated objects, and can be contained through such measures as self-isolation and hygiene. World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that around 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported from 12 countries that are not endemic for the virus.
