Jakarta –
Portuguese health officials said on Wednesday (18/05), there had been five confirmed cases of monkeypox in young men. In addition, 15 other suspected cases emerged in the area around the capital Lisbon which are currently being investigated, Portugal’s Directorate General of Health said.
The UK and Spain are also investigating suspected infections of a similar virus. The spread of monkeypox marks an unusual outbreak in Europe of a disease normally found only in Africa.
Meanwhile, authorities in the US state of Massachusetts said a similar case was detected in a man who had recently traveled to Canada.
What do we need to know about monkeypox cases in Europe?
Portuguese authorities say all recorded cases involve mostly young men. Local officials did not reveal whether they had visited countries in Africa or had any connection to the case recently discovered in the UK.
So far, the UK has reported seven cases since 7 May. Four of the cases were identified as gay or bisexual, the UK’s Health Safety Administration said. This finding indicates that there is a possibility of transmission in the community.
On Wednesday (18/05), Spanish authorities said they were investigating 23 possible monkeypox infections, all of which were young males.
There is no scientific evidence that shows this disease is transmitted through sex. Experts say infection can occur during close physical contact, including having sex.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral infection similar to smallpox, but milder. Symptoms include fever and a characteristic rash that usually starts on the face and then moves to other parts of the body. Most people recover from monkeypox within a few weeks.
Transmission is usually through close contact with infected animals or humans, although this is rare.
The first cases were recorded in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The number of Monkeypox infections has increased in West Africa in recent decades with the milder strain.
The first cases found in West Africa had a mortality rate of about 1%. This case is the same as that reported in the UK. In 1980, smallpox was eradicated by vaccination, but the policy was discontinued.
bh/ha (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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