Sudan has reported its first case of the monkeypox virus, detected in West Darfur state, said the Federal Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

Over 70 countries reported outbreaks of monkeypox triggering the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the epidemic a global health emergency. However, only two African countries reported positive cases: South Africa and Morocco.

In a statement on Sunday, the federal ministry of health said that the first case was detected in a 16-year student in West Darfur state and confirmed by the National Laboratory for Public Health (STAC) in Khartoum.