Spain: the Community of Madrid detects 23 possible cases of monkeypox

The Community of Madrid has detected 23 possible cases of monkeypox infection in the region, and the Ministry of Health of Spaintogether with the regional governments, have activated the health alert.

At this time, these cases are under study in coordination with the National Center for Microbiology to confirm the diagnosis.

LOOK: The mobile phone of the Spanish Minister of the Interior was also infected by Pegasus

Usually The transmission of the disease occurs through the respiratory route, but due to the characteristics of the 23 suspected cases of infection, it indicates that it was due to contact with mucous membranes during sexual intercourse, The Madrid Ministry of Health reported this Wednesday.

Also known as “monkeypox”, it is a very rare disease, which It generally presents with fever, myalgia, lymphadenopathy (swollen glands) and a rash on the hands and face, similar to chickenpox and is transmitted through contact with animals or close contact with infected people or contaminated materials.

LOOK: Pegasus case: the person in charge of the secret services of Spain is dismissed for espionage to politicians

The people under study evolve positively and they are isolated in their homes, although close surveillance must be maintained since they may require hospital admission.

Those responsible for Public Health are awaiting the results of the laboratory tests and evaluating the role of the vaccine in smallpox to control transmission, as well as the use of antivirals if necessary.

They are also carrying out an epidemiological investigation of those affected and identifying possible contacts.

Last May 15 The United Kingdom issued a health alert to the World Health Organizationaccording to international health regulations, after detecting the first four cases in Europe.

Through this alert, the Spanish Public Health technicians informed the Madrid health system describing the symptoms, with which it was possible to identify the first eight possible affected people who were reported yesterday to the Ministry of Health, and today the figure rose to 23.

In Portugal, five cases of monkeypox were confirmed today and another fifteen are under surveillance, all in the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley.

Speaking to Efe, the spokesman for the Society for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (SEIMC), Fernando De la Calle, stressed that it is always easier for a respiratory virus such as covid or the flu to become a pandemic, but in theory the virus del mono or “monkeypox” has less pandemic capacity because it requires living with someone who is sick.

The first human cases of the disease were identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970 and the number has been increasing over the last decade in West and Central African countries.

Source: Elcomercio

Deshawn