Armenia bans import and transit of rodents and primates amid mpox concerns

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YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. Starting August 21, Armenia has banned the import and transit of all types of rodents (both live and dead, including those used as animal feed) and primates through its territory as a preventive measure against potential outbreaks of mpox, according to a statement from the Food Safety Inspection Body./pp

The ban will remain in effect until further clarification is provided by the World Health Organization (WHO)./pp

As of August 16, no cases of mpox have been reported in Armenia, and the Ministry of Health has assessed the risk of the disease entering and spreading within the country as low./pp

On August 14, the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years, prompted by an increase in mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and several other African nations./pp

Mpox is a rare infectious disease most commonly found in remote regions of Central and West Africa. Symptoms include nausea, fever, rash, itching, and muscle pain. In mild cases, the disease usually resolves on its own and lasts between 14 to 21 days./p br br