Kazakhstan has strengthened sanitary controls at its borders amid concerns over the possible importation of mpox, also known as monkeypox.

The Ministry of Health said the risk of the virus entering the country cannot be ruled out, although the likelihood of its spread within Kazakhstan remains low, according to Sputnik Uzbekistan.

No individuals suspected of having particularly dangerous infectious diseases have been identified so far, the ministry added.

Mpox can spread through physical contact with infected people or animals, as well as through exposure to saliva, blood and other bodily fluids. Transmission can also occur through contaminated clothing and other objects.