KHARTOUM, Sudan 

Sudan on Sunday confirmed its first monkeypox case.

The Sudanese Health Ministry said the patient is a 16-year-old student from West Darfur state in the western part of the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) last week declared a global health emergency over the ongoing monkeypox outbreak.

The virus has affected over 16,000 people in 75 countries since May, according to WHO statistics.

Monkeypox is a virus that causes disease with similar but less severe symptoms to smallpox, including a fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.

Human-to-human transmission is limited, but it can be passed through contact with bodily fluids, skin lesions, or internal mucosal surfaces such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan