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Updated August 2024
Key takeaways
No new mpox cases reported in Saudi Arabia as of August 2024.
Saudi Arabia has not implemented any travel restrictions related to mpox.
The Saudi Public Health Authority advises targeted vaccination for high-risk groups.
Table of Contents
What is Mpox?
Mpox (monkeypox) is a viral zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from infected animals to humans through direct contact. It predominantly occurs in tropical rainforest regions of Central and West Africa, with occasional cases reported in other areas due to exportation.
This viral infection is communicable and can spread between people primarily through close contact. Transmission can also occur from the environment to individuals via contaminated objects and surfaces that have been in contact with an infected person.
Mpox spreads from person to person through direct contact with skin lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as clothing, bedding, or medical equipment.
In most cases, people typically recover within two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized. In some cases, however, mpox can also be fatal in up to 6 percent of cases and could also be more severe in children.
On August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to use the term “mpox” as the official name for monkeypox.
The emergence of a new clade of #mpox, its rapid spread in eastern #DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
Mpox in Saudi Arabia
As of August 2024, the new variant of the mpox has not been reported in Saudi Arabia. The situation is still developing, and specific details for cities like Riyadh and Jeddah or Saudi as a whole have not been reported yet.
As of August 28, 2024, Virax Biolabs Group Limited has entered into a distribution agreement to supply RT-PCR Mpox virus detection kits in Saudi Arabia. These kits are CE-marked for sale in Europe and authorized by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). They offer a sensitivity of 96.7% and specificity of 93.72%, providing results in under 70 minutes
Current cases
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health detected its first case of mpox in the Kingdom in 2022, making it the second Gulf country to report the disease after the UAE. The case was detected in a person returning from outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Riyadh.
However, according to the Public Health Authority (Weqaya), there have been no reported cases of a new strain of the mpox virus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Travel restrictions
Currently, the Saudi government has not implemented any travel restrictions specifically to address the spread of mpox. Authorities have yet to introduce any specific travel controls in response to the virus.
Mpox health guidelines for Saudi Arabia
As per the mpox prevention guidelines released by the Saudi Arabian Public Health Authority in 2022, travelers can mitigate the risk of mpox by following these measures:
Pre-travel precautions
- Mandatory Health Insurance: All visitors to Saudi Arabia must possess comprehensive health insurance covering their entire stay
- Travel Restrictions: Individuals exhibiting mpox symptoms, confirmed cases, or recent exposure should postpone travel
Travel and arrival guidelines
- General Hygiene: Practice regular hand washing, maintain social distancing, and avoid close contact with sick individuals
- High-Risk Precautions: Healthcare workers and those handling animals should wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Symptom Management: If symptoms develop, isolate oneself and seek immediate medical attention
Prevention on conveyances
- Crew Awareness: Aircraft crew must report suspected cases to authorities
- Passenger Isolation: Symptomatic passengers should be isolated onboard
- Disinfection: Thorough cleaning of affected areas is essential
Airport screening and response
- Initial Assessment: Health screenings, including temperature checks, should be conducted on arrival
- Passenger Direction: Ill passengers should be directed to designated health facilities
- Rapid Response: Suspected cases must be reported to health authorities immediately
- Contact Tracing and Isolation: Health officials should initiate contact tracing and isolation procedures
- Traveler Education: Inform passengers about mpox symptoms, prevention, and reporting procedures
The officials strongly recommend that everyone follow health instructions, especially during travel, through its official channels and the Public Health Authority (Weqaya) or contact the Center (937) in case of any inquiries regarding the mpox virus.
Please note that we will update the information, as and when released by the officials.
Mpox symptoms
Mpox presents a range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Common symptoms include a rash lasting 2 to 4 weeks, often accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
The rash typically appears as blisters or sores on the face, hands, feet, and genital regions and may also affect the mouth, throat, and eyes. The number of lesions can vary from a few to several thousand, and some individuals may experience severe pain or difficulty urinating due to inflammation in the rectum or genitals.
While most people recover within a few weeks with supportive care, such as pain relievers or fever reducers, mpox can be more severe in certain groups, including newborns, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems, such as from advanced HIV. Severe cases may involve widespread lesions, secondary bacterial infections, and complications like encephalitis, myocarditis, or pneumonia, requiring hospitalization and antiviral treatment.
The fatality rate for mpox varies from 0.1% to 10%, depending on factors like healthcare access and underlying conditions.
Mpox prevention
Here are the things that you can do to prevent the spread of mpox:
- Keep your hands clean by washing them for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
- Prevent animal-to-human transmission.
- Avoid any contact with wild animals.
- Cook meat properly, as uncooked meat could also lead to mpox.
- Avoid any objects that have been in contact with a sick animal.
- Prevent human-to-human transmission.
- Avoid contact with any person who has a rash.
- Avoid contact with any object in contact with a sick person.
Mpox treatment
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that vaccines initially developed for smallpox, a now-eradicated disease, have been adapted and approved for use against mpox in various countries. Examples include the MVA-BN and LC16 vaccines, with the ACAM2000 vaccine available if others are inaccessible.
Tecovirimat, an antiviral developed for smallpox, was also approved for mpox treatment by the European Medicines Agency in January 2022 under exceptional circumstances.
WHO currently recommends vaccination for individuals at risk, such as those in close contact with someone infected or those in high-risk groups, but mass vaccination is not advised. Travelers at risk may consider vaccination based on individual risk assessments with healthcare providers.
Additionally, the Public Health Authority (Weqaya) guidelines indicate that while mass vaccination against mpox is not advised for the general population, targeted vaccination strategies have been implemented. Saudi Arabia has adopted the JYNNEOS vaccine to immunize high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers and laboratory personnel, who are most likely to be exposed to the virus.
