Cargo ship quarantined in Argentina after crewmember starts exhibiting mpox symptoms

Authorities in Argentina have placed a foreign-flagged commercial vessel and all who are on board under quarantine after one of the crewmembers started exhibiting symptoms of mpox.

The country's health ministry said in a statement that an Indian national serving aboard the unnamed Liberian-flagged grain carrier had "cyst-like skin lesions predominantly on the chest and face."

Officials then quarantined the ship, which was near the inland port of Rosario in the Parana River at the time. The affected individual has also been placed in isolation on board the ship to prevent infections among the rest of the crew.

During the quarantine period, only authorised medical personnel will be allowed to board the ship to assess the affected crewmember. Additional testing will also need to be conducted to confirm whether the individual has indeed contracted mpox.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the latest mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern following an upsurge of cases in a number of countries in Africa.