Monkeypox Detected in UAE

The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday the first case of monkeypox detected in the country, state news agency WAM reported, citing the health ministry.

Health officials said the person had recently visited West Africa and is now receiving medical treatment.

UAE authorities there say they are "fully prepared" to handle any outbreak, adding that early surveillance protocols for detecting the disease were in place.

The Czech Republic and Slovenia also reported their first cases on Tuesday, joining 18 other countries to detect the virus outside its usual African base.

That number is expected to rise further still, but experts say the overall risk to the general population remains low.

Outbreaks of the virus have been found in Europe, Australia, and America.

The symptoms often include fever and rash - but the infection is usually mild.

The virus was detected in a 29-year-old woman visiting the Gulf country from West Africa.