- Health officials in Spain and Portugal on Wednesday registered 40 new suspected “monkey box” cases.
- The symptoms of the disease are relatively harmless. Infection is often spread through close contact with infected animals.
- Cases of monkey flu have also been reported in the UK, Canada and the United States.
Travelers returning from West Africa and men who have sex with men should “seek immediate medical attention” if abnormal skin changes occur, the German said. Robert Koch Company (RKI) and call to keep an eye on the infectious process in Europe.
Airborne – and through sexual contact
Symptoms of monkey pox in humans include rash, often starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body, such as fever, muscle aches, and chills. Most people recover from the disease within a few weeks. The disease is commonly transmitted through close contact with infected animals such as rodents and monkeys and is more common in central and western Africa.
According to Madrid health officials, they have identified “23 possible cases of monkey box”. Although monkeys are usually airborne, all patients become infected through sexual activity. These are mostly homosexuals, but not always. Authorities have identified 20 suspected cases in the region around Lisbon, mainly among young people.
Distribution may be higher than expected
British authorities had previously registered several cases. However, in the four most recent cases, no direct link was found with the three previously identified infections. This raises the suspicion that the spread of the disease is much better than previously known, according to the British Health Authority.
As The Canadian media has reported the news, Authorities in the metropolitan Montreal are investigating a dozen suspected cases of monkey flu. These were reported by clinics that specialize in sexually transmitted infections. The United States has recently discovered that an adult who returned from Canada also has monkeypox. The CDC, the US health agency, insisted that “any person, regardless of their sexual orientation, can spread the monkey box.”
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