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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