A total of 14 monkeypox cases have been reported in the Middle East and North Africa, 13 in the UAE and one in Morocco, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.
But cases of the disease in non-endemic countries around the world “continue to rise” and the spread must be contained rapidly, said Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean (Emro) at a press briefing in Cairo.
“Right now, these outbreaks can be stopped,” he said. "But it is critically important for countries to support health services and to stop onward transmission from the cases."
A total of 780 confirmed cases have been reported in 27 countries where the disease is not typically found, but no deaths. Cases tripled between May 29 and June 2.
Seven endemic countries in central and West Africa have reported more than 1,400 suspected cases and 44 confirmed infections, including 66 deaths.
The WHO has assessed the overall public health risk as moderate at both global and regional levels, with the mortality rate in endemic countries at about 3 per cent.
The virus was discovered in laboratory monkeys in 1958 and was first identified in humans in 1970. The latest outbreak in non-endemic countries last month is atypical and suggests there may have been undetected transmission for months or possibly years, the WHO has said.
“The situation is evolving rapidly and epidemiological investigations are still ongoing,” Dr Al Mandhari said.
The disease has symptoms similar — but less severe — to smallpox, which was eradicated in 1979. Both present themselves with a “fever, general unwellness, aches and pains” and a “blister-type rash” on the skin, said Dr Richard Brennan, regional emergency director for Emro.
Human-to-human transmission occurs mainly through close physical contact with infectious ulcers, lesions or sores on the skin or in the mouth or throat.
Dr Brennan said: “It doesn’t typically spread through respiratory droplets, like measles or Covid. It spreads with very close physical contact."
Recovery takes about two to four weeks and usually does not require hospital treatment. People who are more at risk include children, pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised.
Dr Rana Hajjeh, director of programme management at Emro, said: “Monkeypox is a limited disease in regards to its dangerous aspects and transmissibility to others."
Only one treatment called Tecovirimat has been approved by the WHO but is recommended for use only in severe cases.
There are some vaccines against monkeypox but they are available in “very small amounts” and are not currently the recommended method by which to control the virus, Dr Hajjeh said.
Smallpox vaccines can be used in certain instances but the stockpile comprises only about 5 million doses and features a high complication rate for people with weaker immune systems, Dr Brennan said.
“Our risk-benefit ratio suggests that it’s not the right thing to be using right now,” he said.
Measures to stop the spread include raising public awareness about the disease and its symptoms, improving surveillance measures, using contact tracing, quickly isolating suspected cases and increasing laboratory capacity.
In response to a question about the possibility of a monkeypox outbreak at Hajj next month, Dr Brennan said it is not a high risk as long as the necessary public health measures are put in place.
“The Saudi health system is very well-attuned to the potential of disease outbreaks,” he said. "If there is an outbreak, we believe the Saudi health system will respond effectively."
The emergence of infectious diseases has become the “new normal” over the last couple of decades, Dr Brennan said.
“About 70 per cent of the new infectious diseases that we have identified spill over from the animal kingdom to humans,” he said.
“We saw with Covid that the world was not prepared. We know the next disease is somewhere down the track. We know the next pandemic is somewhere down the track. This is why we absolutely have to take this seriously.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
RESULTS
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Power: 325hp
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
57%20Seconds
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Representing%20UAE%20overseas
%3Cp%3E%0DIf%20Catherine%20Richards%20debuts%20for%20Wales%20in%20the%20Six%20Nations%2C%20she%20will%20be%20the%20latest%20to%20have%20made%20it%20from%20the%20UAE%20to%20the%20top%20tier%20of%20the%20international%20game%20in%20the%20oval%20ball%20codes.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESeren%20Gough-Walters%20(Wales%20rugby%20league)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EBorn%20in%20Dubai%2C%20raised%20in%20Sharjah%2C%20and%20once%20an%20immigration%20officer%20at%20the%20British%20Embassy%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20she%20debuted%20for%20Wales%20in%20rugby%20league%20in%202021.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESophie%20Shams%20(England%20sevens)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EWith%20an%20Emirati%20father%20and%20English%20mother%2C%20Shams%20excelled%20at%20rugby%20at%20school%20in%20Dubai%2C%20and%20went%20on%20to%20represent%20England%20on%20the%20sevens%20circuit.%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFiona%20Reidy%20(Ireland)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMade%20her%20Test%20rugby%20bow%20for%20Ireland%20against%20England%20in%202015%2C%20having%20played%20for%20four%20years%20in%20the%20capital%20with%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20previously.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
