Argentine authorities have quarantined a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Parana River near Rosario, a major grains port, due to a suspected case of mpox onboard, according to Fernando Morales, president of the Argentine Naval League.
A crew member with symptoms of fever and weakness was hospitalised in San Nicolas, where preliminary tests suggest a possible mpox infection. However, the diagnosis is not yet confirmed.
The move comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, amid a rapid spread of a new variant in Africa. The clade 1b variant has raised concerns due to its potential for easier transmission through close contact.
Health authorities are monitoring the ship and will examine other crew members.
Argentina has previously reported eight mpox cases, while 13 countries in the Americas have reported cases caused by other strains this year, according to WHO data.
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) last week said it has recorded 39 cases of mpox so far this year. Bayelsa, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states are the most affected by the outbreak.
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