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Ports Screen Seafarers for Mpox Amid New Strain Detection

Ports Screen Seafarers for Mpox Amid New Strain Detection

 

Ports worldwide have implemented health checks for seafarers on ships arriving from Africa, following the detection of a new, more virulent strain of mpox.

Singapore, India, Bangladesh, China, and Uruguay are among the countries conducting screenings.

Recently, an entire ship’s crew was quarantined in Argentina after a seafarer was found to have skin lesions suspected to be mpox. However, subsequent health checks revealed it was chicken pox.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, due to the rapid spread of a new variant in Africa. Mpox, a viral infection causing pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is typically mild but can be fatal. The clade 1b variety has raised concerns as it appears to spread more easily through close contact.



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