Minister of Health Dr. Abdulla Khaleel announced at a recent press conference that both cases of Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) reported in the Maldives have tested negative. The announcement came during a joint briefing with officials from the Home Ministry and Economic Ministry.

Dr. Khaleel clarified that while there were initial reports of Mpox cases in the Maldives, these were later determined to be false alarms. The Minister's confirmation reassures that no active Mpox cases have been detected within the country.

However, it is noteworthy that a case of Mpox has been reported in neighboring Pakistan, drawing attention to the disease's regional spread. Mpox, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and is similar in symptoms to smallpox, is generally considered less deadly, according to health experts.

In May of the previous year, the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed the risk of Mpox to global social security as low, reinforcing the disease’s limited impact on public health compared to other outbreaks.