A bulk cargo carrier has been quarantined in Argentina due to a suspected case of mpox among its crew.
The ship, located near the Port of Rosario, reported that an Indian crew member had exhibited cyst-like skin lesions, primarily on the chest and face.
Following this, Argentine health authorities initiated emergency protocols, separating the affected individual from the rest of the crew and required the ship to anchor in the Parana River instead of proceeding to its destination in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe province.
The quarantine comes amid heightened global vigilance regarding mpox, also known as ‘monkey pox’, while health authorities in Africa continue to contain a rapidly spreading, highly transmissible variant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
To date, more than 500 people have died in the DRC since the mpox outbreak in May.
Argentina has previously reported eight cases of mpox, none linked to the concerning clade 1b variant, which is known for its ease of transmission through close contact.
Medical staff are the only personnel allowed to board the ship, and the entire crew will remain in quarantine until test results confirm whether the suspected case is indeed mpox.
