Monkeypox Spread... Another Infection Case Reported in Israel, the First in the Middle East

On the 27th, passengers arriving on a flight from Europe at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 are waiting to undergo quarantine for overseas infectious diseases such as monkeypox. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] As the spread of monkeypox accelerates, another case has been reported in Israel, where the first infection in the Middle East was confirmed.

According to local media on the 29th (local time), the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that a 30-year-old man was infected with monkeypox. The man reportedly experienced abnormal symptoms after returning from overseas travel and visited Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest medical institution, on the 27th.

The man, who was hospitalized after testing positive, has been discharged and is currently isolating at home. The Ministry of Health explained that his symptoms are mild.

In Israel, a case of monkeypox infection was reported on the 18th in a man in his 30s who had visited Western Europe. This was the first reported infection in the Middle East.

Monkeypox has been known as an endemic disease in Central and Western Africa for decades, but since the first case was reported in the UK on the 7th, it has spread to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of the 27th, over 300 confirmed and suspected cases have been reported in more than 20 countries.