Nepal reported another monkeypox or mpox case on Friday. A 36-year-old man from Tanahun, who returned from Saudi Arabia on Thursday, tested positive for the deadly disease.

“Yes, samples of the suspect, who has been admitted to the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, have returned positive results,” said Dr Yadu Chandra Ghimire. “We collected the samples on Thursday and got a positive report today [Friday].”

Health authorities confirmed the first case of monkeypox infection in June last year.

A 60-year-old foreign national had then tested positive for the infection.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus and one in 10 infected persons can die. Most common in remote parts of central and west Africa, the disease has now been reported in at least 122 countries . Its symptoms include fever, headache, swelling, body pains, exhaustion, and itchy rashes on the face, hands, and feet.

As the disease primarily spreads through close person-to-person contact, public health experts recommend self-isolation and good hygiene to avoid it.

According to health officials, the infected person, who is a migrant worker, was sent to the Dhapasi-based Grande International Hospital soon after arrival.

Doctors at the hospital suspected monkeypox infection, based on the symptoms, and referred the patient to Sukraraj Hospital.

“He had rashes in his private parts and blisters on hands and legs,” said a doctor at the hospital, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media. “The patient admitted to have had sexual contact in Saudi Arabia.”

Officials at the EDCD said they will start contact tracing from Saturday.

“We have to trace close contacts of the patient on the plane he travelled and the vehicle he used to go to hospitals,” said Ghimire.

Public health experts say that even if the rare viral infection is usually mild and most people recover within weeks, the risks should not be underestimated. They stress precautions saying that every disease seen in any corner of the world can come to Nepal due to the high mobility of people.

Monkeypox has been a globally neglected public health problem in parts of Africa for decades. The disease came into widespread attention after May 2022, with countries outside Africa reporting new cases.

Mpox has since spread globally. More than 100,000 people from 122 countries have already tested positive for the disease. India has recorded at least 30 mpox infections since 2022.

Beyond Africa, monkeypox is spreading chiefly in men who have sex with men, putting sexual health clinics on alert for new cases.