Madrid Starts Monkeypox Testing In 5 Hospitals - Reports

Five Madrid hospitals started administering PCR tests for monkeypox on Monday, as ordered by the regional department of public health to curb the outbreak, Spanish newspaper Vanguardia reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th May, 2022) Five Madrid hospitals started administering PCR tests for monkeypox on Monday, as ordered by the regional department of public health to curb the outbreak, Spanish newspaper Vanguardia reported.

On Friday, the head of public health in the Madrid region, Elena Andradas, announced at a press conference that five hospitals of the Spanish capital will start monkeypox testing to "facilitate diagnosis and response at earliest possible."

The results of the tests will be sent to the national General Directorate of Public Health, which will track the spread of monkeypox in the country, Vanguardia noted.

Madrid confirmed 75 cases of monkeypox and is studying another 46 suspected cases, the newspaper reported, citing health ministry sources.

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that is usually transmitted to people from wild animals and is endemic in some African countries. Monkeypox can be transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and other contaminated materials. The disease usually results in fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes.

The first case of monkeypox outside Africa was confirmed in the United Kingdom on May 7. Since then, other cases have been reported by some countries in Europe and North America, as well as Australia.