UPDATE - Israel denies 2nd case of monkeypox

UPDATES WITH CASE CLEARED OF MONKEYPOX; EDITS THROUGH

ANKARA (AA) – A second suspected case of monkeypox in Israel has been cleared from the virus, the country’s health officials confirmed on Sunday.

The Health Ministry had earlier said a 27-year-old person who recently arrived from western Europe was being tested for the virus.

But Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz confirmed that the suspected case was not monkeypox.

“This is a disease, not a pandemic,” Horowitz said on Twitter.

Local media said the patient has been working on a cargo ship moored in Ashdod.

Israel reported its first case of monkeypox on Friday in a person who had arrived from western Europe.

According to the World Health Organization, there are 12 countries confirmed to have monkeypox.

Nearly 100 cases of monkeypox have been so far confirmed worldwide.

Monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals, with symptoms of fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.

The disease is believed to be difficult to spread, but the novel pattern of transmission suggests more investigation is needed.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar