It is health alert in Spain for monkeypox. The Ministry of Health issued the notification of the following emergency on Tuesday 17 May eight suspected cases in Madrid. According to the newspaper El Pais, confirmation is expected from genetic tests carried out at the National Center of Microbiology (CNM).
Urgent notification to health authorities in case of fever and rash
Spanish health authorities have urged doctors to “urgently” notify patients who present with vesicular rash “without an explainable cause”, fever above 38.5 degrees, severe headache, muscle and joint pain and inflammation of the lymph nodes. “Suspected cases” are considered to be those who have had contact with a diagnosed case, have had homosexual intercourse between men or have been traveling to West or Central Africa within 21 days of the onset of symptoms.
The eight suspected cases in Madrid
The eight cases currently under investigation in Madrid were detected at the Sandoval Health Center of the capital, a reference structure in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. The director of the Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies (CCAES) of the Ministry of Health, Fernando Simón, explained to the Pais that monkeypox is unlikely to generate significant transmission in Spain but that it “cannot be ruled out” . For this reason, the health authorities are working to identify the causes of the infection.
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Attention is growing in Europe, cases also in Portugal
Meanwhile, concern is growing in Europe about the virus: Portugal has confirmed 5 cases and 20 suspected people infected by the virus. while in the UK the authorities found an outbreak of 7 positive people. The positives are all men who have same-sex relationships. It has not been possible to identify an epidemiological link between those affected, and this according to experts indicates that there are several unidentified transmission chains of the virus on the continent. What worries experts is the fact that for the first time the virus circulates in Europe without connections with people who have traveled to West or Central Africa.
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Monkeypox symptoms
Il monkeypox it is a disease caused by a virus that is endemic in the jungle areas of the African continent. Monkeys, rodents and other mammals can pass it on to humans. Symptoms include a conspicuous rash on the skin, fever, and joint problems. According to the WHO, the mortality of African outbreaks varies between 1% and 10% of those affected, and is especially high among young children. The infection occurs through drops of saliva or body fluids and the incubation usually lasts between 6 and 13 days, but can last up to 21.