A first case of monkeypox was recorded in France, in a 29-year-old man who had not traveled to a country where the virus circulates, health authorities announced this Friday, May 20.
The man is isolated at his home in the Paris region and the authorities identified his contacts to inform them of how to act to limit the spread of the virus.
For its part, Canada confirmed having detected two first cases in humans on Thursday night 19, after a series of infections in Europe of this endemic disease from West Africa.
“The province of Quebec was informed of the positive result of the monkeypox test in two samples received by the National Microbiology Laboratory. These are the first two confirmed cases in Canada,” Canada’s public health agency said in a statement.
Other suspected cases are under analysis in the French-speaking city of MontrealCanadian authorities specified. The regional directorate of public health in the same city mentioned 17 suspected cases in a morning press conference.
Confirmed cases spread
Belgium detected two other cases of the monkey, as reported by a virologist from this country. The second case detected was found in the same environment where the first diagnosis was made and, according to the expert, it was known that he suffered from the disease because of the blisters on his hands.
As to AustraliaMonkeypox has been detected in a man in his 30s who had recently returned from Britain and who developed mild symptoms before landing in Melbourne on Monday 16 May. People who shared the man’s flights are currently being contact traced.
Earlier this Friday, health authorities in New South Wales, Australia, said they had identified another “probable” case of monkeypox in a man in his 40s who had recently returned to Sydney from Europe.
“A case of monkeypox was confirmed in a person in the Stockholm region,” the Swedish Public Health Agency said in a statement.
The infected person “is not seriously ill, but received medical care”, explained the authority, who said they did not know where and how the infection took place.
United Kingdomwhich reported its first case on May 6, raised the total number of infected people on Wednesday night, May 18, to nine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday the 17th that it wants to clarify the situation, since some of the cases in the United Kingdom seem to have been transmitted within the homosexual community.
Spain number one
In Spain, The Ministry of Health explained this Friday, May 20, that there are already 30 confirmed cases of the disease, all located in Madrid, which makes this country the one with the highest number of positives. The number could be higher.
“Due to the characteristics of the suspected cases of infection, it indicates that it has been due to contact with mucous membranes during sexual intercourse,” the ministry reported in a statement.
has no treatment
According to the authorities, who activated a health alert, this rare disease is not very contagious between humansIt has no treatment and usually heals on its own.
Its symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. Skin rashes can also appear, especially on the face, and spread to other parts of the body.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) plans to publish its first risk assessment report “early next week,” the European Union (EU) agency said.
The agency, which said to “follow the situation closely”, recommends “isolate yourself, test suspected cases and notify them quickly”.
*With information from AFP and Europa Press.