First monkeypox case detected in Malta

Malta’s first case of monkeypox has been announced by the health ministry.

The case involves a 38-year-old male who had been recently abroad in one of the countries hit by the monkeypox outbreak.

The ministry reported light symptoms that did not require hospitalisation, and the patient is currently self-isolating at home.

“Monkeypox is a rare infection caused by a virus that does not spread easily from one person to the other,” the ministry said in a statement. “In the majority of cases it is a brief illness that does not require care and from which patients recover in weeks.”

The first symptoms of monkeypox are fever, headaches, muscle pain, back pain, inflamed glands, chills and tiredness. A rash can also develop, usually starting on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. The rash eventually develops into scabs that subside with time. 

The public health authorities are calling on the public to maintain hygiene with regular handwashing with soap, or alcohol-based sanitiser, especially when in contact with someone who is not well.

This week, Health Minister Chris Fearne had said that monkeypox was not “another Covid” and stressed that the authorities were well prepared in case of an outbreak.