China warns against skin-to-skin contact with foreigners after first monkeypox case
September 19, 2022, 11:30 am

China warns against skin-to-skin contact with foreigners after first monkeypox case

A file photo from 2001 shows a colored electron-microscopic capture of the monkeypox virus.(Photo: RKI Robert Koch Institute/AFP/File/Andrea MAENNEL, Andrea SCHNARTENDORFF)

A top Chinese health official warned people against having skin-to-skin contact with foreigners to avoid contracting monkeypox, spurring a backlash among the country’s dwindling expatriate community, Bloomberg reported, the al-Aarabiya English said.

China reported its first case of the infectious disease on Friday (Sep 16) in Chongqing, a municipality in southwestern part of the country.

The patient has been isolated and the risk of an outbreak is low, the local health commission said in a statement on its website.

Despite the reassurance, an official at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggested extreme steps to dodge the virus that has caused an onslaught of infections worldwide since an outbreak was reported in Europe in May.

Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the CCDC, said on his official Weibo page on Saturday (Sep 17): “To prevent possible monkeypox infection and as part of our healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that one, you do not have direct skin-to-skin contact with foreigners.

A top Chinese health official warned people against having skin-to-skin contact with foreigners to avoid contracting monkeypox, spurring a backlash among the country’s dwindling expatriate community - Photo. Pixabay

According to the World Health Organization, monkeypox has been diagnosed in more than 52,000 people, mainly men, in 102 countries and led to at least 18 deaths.

It is generally spread via close contact, such as touching a contaminated object or one of the skin lesions that are a symptom of the disease. There’s no evidence of a racial component.

Patient with new strain of monkeypox hospitalized in U.K.

China’s zero tolerance approach to COVID-19, including restrictions that curbed international travel, may have limited its exposure to the burgeoning global outbreak. The idea that foreigners could be spreading it, however, was offensive to many.

The announcement makes everyone feel angry, said a teacher from the UK in Shandong province, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive issues.

The teacher said, while racism happen everywhere, in most countries people know its wrong and they speak out about it.

WHO reports more than 41,000 cases of monkeypox globally

But in China, the drumbeat that foreigners are dangerous is continuous, they said, describing it as state-sponsored racism.

AIDS Comparison

Wu cited past transmission in justifying his remarks, saying the disease spread from Europe and North America to the Western Pacific, including Australia, Singapore, Japan and Thailand. Then Hong Kong and mainland China reported infections, he said.

Wu wrote: “The spread of AIDS was like this, and the spread of monkeypox epidemics currently reported is similar.”

The blog post also warned against direct contact with the skin of people who returned from abroad within three weeks.

First case of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox reported, WHO urges caution

People should also disinfect or place a disposable cover on toilet seats if using them in public or hotel washroom facilities, he said.

Wu added: “It’s necessary and very important to strengthen the monitoring and prevention of monkeypox epidemic at the social level.”

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.