Cambodia will deport Osmond Chihazirim Nzerem, the first monkeypox patient to his native Nigeria, and ban him from returning to the kingdom for three years, according to an immigration department official.
The 27-year-old Nigerian, who fled Thailand despite testing positive for monkeypox, was arrested by Cambodian authorities in Phnom Penh on July 23 and sent to the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital for treatment.
The man recovered and was discharged from hospital on Saturday.
“The General Department of Immigration has decided to deport the Nigerian and ban him from returning to Cambodia for three years.”
said Keo Vanthan, Deputy Director General and Spokesperson of the General Department of Immigration.
Nigerian is the first and only imported case of monkeypox in the Kingdom
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on July 23 that the current outbreak of monkeypox, which is affecting several countries outside the traditional endemic areas of Africa, constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC ).