Travel warning after first case of contagious Mpox strain recorded in Dubai, symptoms

Express reported that the case was detected in an individual who had recently travelled from Uganda, marking the first recorded instance of this strain in the UAE, according to Travel Health Pro.

“As of 14 February 2025, the United Arab Emirates reported their first case of clade Ib mpox in an individual with a recent history of travel to Uganda. The case had symptom onset on 11 January 2025, with mpox confirmed on 18 January 2025,” Travel Health Pro said.

The clade Ib strain of mpox is believed to be more transmissible than the clade II strain, which was responsible for an outbreak in the UK in 2022. The current outbreak is thought to have originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) before spreading to other African nations, as well as Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and the USA.

As of February 13, 2025, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed eight cases of clade Ib mpox in England, including the most recent case involving a traveller returning from Uganda.

Dubai is a major holiday destination for British travellers, with an estimated 1.4 million Britons visiting the UAE each year. Additionally, over 240,000 British nationals live in Dubai, and the country hosts more than 5,000 British companies.

Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close physical contact with blisters or scabs. Symptoms typically appear between five and 21 days after infection and include:

• High fever
• Severe headaches
• Muscle and back pain
• Swollen glands
• Chills and exhaustion
• Joint pain
• Skin rash (which may appear one to five days after initial symptoms)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus poses a greater risk to vulnerable groups, including young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, particularly those with poorly managed HIV. In severe cases, mpox can be fatal, though most patients recover within four weeks.