Monkeypox virus: Abu Dhabi and Dubai step up monitoring


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Latest: UAE fully prepared to deal with monkeypox, Ministry of Health says

Health chiefs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are stepping up safety measures to guard against the potential spread of the monkeypox virus.

Both Abu Dhabi Department of Health and Dubai Health Authority urged medical facilities on Friday to remain vigilant over the virus in notices issued on Friday.

A circular from Dubai Health Authority told of the need to “enhance and promote the early detection of the disease”.

It said it was “raising the level of epidemiological surveillance of monkeypox cases” in Dubai with immediate effect.

Massachusetts, in the east coast of the US, on Wednesday reported a rare case of monkeypox in a man who recently travelled to Canada. Health officials are investigating whether it is connected to small outbreaks in Europe.

Monkeypox is typically limited to Africa, and rare cases in the US and elsewhere are usually linked to travel there.

Concern is growing over its spread, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) holding an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the outbreak.

About 80 cases of the virus have been confirmed in 11 countries, WHO stated.

The global health body said another 50 suspected infections are being investigated, without naming the countries involved.

Earlier, infections were confirmed in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the US, Canada and the UK.

The DHA stressed in its notice that WHO had “stated that the likelihood of spread from Europe globally is high”.

“Thus, the potential of the introducing of this resistant strain locally is possible", the DHA said in the circular, published on its website.

It urged healthcare workers to bolster monitoring by “performing the required confirmatory RT-PCR test and gene sequencing to trace the infection source” in cases of suspected infection.

This should be followed by the immediate reporting of lab confirmed cases to the preventive medicine section of the authority.

Anyone found to have the disease should be isolated in a healthcare facilities, with checks to be made on close contacts to prevent further spread.

Abu Dhabi Department of Health sent a similar message to healthcare providers.

"The probability of importation of cases to the UAE is high due to the increase in international travel," the circular stated.

"Therefore, all healthcare providers must comply with the following: Enhance vigilance to identify cases fitting the case definition; Report any suspected, probable or confirmed case in the Infectious Disease Notification System under occurrence of unusual disease; Send clinical rash sample to the reference lab at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City."

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare infection usually spread by wild animals in central and west Africa.

It can be caught from infected wild animals, particularly rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels.

You can be infected by an animal bite or if you come into contact with an animal’s blood or bodily fluids.

It may be possible to catch monkeypox by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been properly cooked.

Human-to-human transmission can occur through touching towels or bedding of a patient, touching monkeypox blisters or by coughs and sneezes.

What are the symptoms?

It takes between five and 21 days for initial symptoms to appear.

These include:

  • high temperature
  • headache
  • muscle ache
  • backache
  • swollen glands
  • shivering and chills
  • exhaustion

The monkeypox rash is a secondary symptom, usually starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body.

Symptoms usually clear up in two to four weeks.

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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Updated: May 23, 2022, 4:09 AM