Czech Republic registers first monkeypox case

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — The Czech Republic has its first case of monkeypox, Pavel Dlouhy, head of the Czech Society for Infectious Diseases, told AFP on Tuesday.

Dlouhy said the disease was detected in a man at Prague’s Military University Hospital but declined to give any details.

“It was only a question of time, we have been expecting this for days,” Dlouhy added.

Over the past few days, several European and North American countries including Britain, France and the United States have reported cases of the rare virus which is endemic in parts of Africa.

Medical authorities have said, however, that the risk that the disease will spread widely is low.

© Agence France-Presse