Cargo Ship Quarantined in Argentina Over Suspected Mpox Outbreak

Argentine authorities have placed a cargo ship in quarantine on the Parana River near Rosario’s grain port due to suspected Mpox on board, as reported by industry official Fernando Morales on Tuesday. The Liberian-flagged ship, carrying soy cargo, was instructed to anchor while a crew member was tested after experiencing fever and weakness. Although not yet confirmed, there are concerns that the crew member may have Mpox, a viral infection causing purulent lesions and flu-like symptoms, declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

The Mpox outbreak has caused alarm globally, with a new variant of the virus spreading rapidly in Africa. The Clade 1b variant, discovered in Sweden, has raised concerns due to its apparent ease of transmission through close contact. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation on the quarantined ship and plan to examine other crew members to prevent further spread of the virus.

In response to the Mpox outbreak, Danish company Bavarian Nordic is considering increasing vaccine production, and Swiss group Roche is expanding its laboratory testing capacity. With Mpox cases reported in multiple countries, including Argentina, the global community is mobilizing to combat the spread of this potentially fatal infection.

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