ABU DHABI (Xinhua) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed its first case of monkeypox in a 29-year-old woman who arrived from West Africa. The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention reassured the public that antiviral medicine therapy can help a monkeypox patient recover in two to four weeks. While monkeypox is primarily found in Central and West Africa, often near tropical rainforests, it has been increasingly seen in urban areas. More than 200 suspected and confirmed cases of the virus have been recorded worldwide, including in several non-endemic countries since early May, according to the World Health Organization.

Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body including the genitals.