Nepal on Monday, December 30, reported its third Mpox case, with the two most recent cases occurring in the past 11 days.  

A 44-year-old man, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for the viral disease, reported state-owned news agency RSS, citing Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population. “Further details about the infection will be shared soon,” Dr. Budhathoki stated.  

Read: Confirmation of Mpox Case Sparks Concerns in Nepal

The second case in this cluster was reported on December 20, when a Nepali youth, also returning from Saudi Arabia, was diagnosed with Mpox. Dr. Yadu Chandra Ghimire, Director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), had told New Business Age last week that the patient was undergoing treatment at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku.  

Nepal’s first Mpox case was detected in June 2023 in a 60-year-old foreign national, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.  

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by the orthopoxvirus and primarily spreads through close contact with infected individuals. Common symptoms include fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and a sore throat, as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO).  

“Mpox is a viral disease that can cause severe illness, painful rashes, and enlarged lymph nodes, potentially leaving scars,” WHO states. Transmission occurs through contact with bodily fluids, lesions, respiratory particles, or contaminated objects.  

The virus can also spread from animals to humans, especially in regions where small mammals like squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, and monkeys carry the disease. While Mpox is endemic to tropical rainforests in parts of Africa, human-to-human transmission has significantly driven its global spread since May 2022.  

Globally, Mpox cases have surged, leading WHO to declare it a global health emergency earlier this year in August –twice in two years. Reuters, citing Africa CDC data, reported last month that over 59,000 Mpox cases and 1,164 deaths in 20 African countries were reported this year.

While Mpox is typically mild, it can occasionally be fatal.