Sierra Leone has detected its first case of mpox, a viral disease that causes fever and skin lesions.
The infected person, a 27-year-old man from the Western Zone district near Freetown, was diagnosed on January 10.
The health officials are tracing contacts, monitoring potential exposures, and implementing preventive measures to limit its spread.
Mpox, related to smallpox, was initially found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 and was mostly confined to African nations until 2022.
The virus later spread globally, prompting the World Health Organization to issue its highest alert in 2024.
Authorities in Sierra Leone have launched awareness campaigns and enhanced surveillance in areas the patient visited.
Health workers are receiving training and protective gear to manage the situation.
This marks the latest health challenge for the country, which previously faced a devastating Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016.
