"30 Cases of Monkeypox Treated in Lebanon," Specialist Clarifies

Dr. Jacques Mkhbat, a specialist in infectious diseases, confirmed that "monkeypox, with a new mutation, is spreading rapidly and can lead to death." In a conversation with "Voice of Lebanon," he revealed that "30 cases of 'M' strain monkeypox have been treated in Lebanon," noting that "infection occurs through intimate relationships." Mkhbat explained that "the 'Mpox' strain of monkeypox is present in Africa to a limited extent, and the increase in cases in 2022 led to its emergence outside the Congo region, resulting in its spread worldwide and reaching Lebanon through arrivals from Western Europe, with an average of thirty cases recorded, the latest of which was in the early part of 2023, coinciding with the World Health Organization declaring an end to the emergency in May 2023." He highlighted the concern over the spread of this virus globally, with current cases appearing in the Congo and neighboring countries exhibiting a new mutation that facilitates rapid transmission and a higher mortality rate, as well as the emergence of cases outside Africa in Sweden and Pakistan. Mkhbat confirmed the recovery of "the cases that arrived in Lebanon in early 2023, with no recorded fatalities, and without the need to use the specific treatment for this virus that had been brought to Lebanon," pointing out that recovery from this virus takes three weeks for full recovery.