Spain Raises Health Alert Over Monkeypox Outbreak In Madrid - Reports

The Spanish health ministry and the autonomous communities of the country announced a health alert after detecting eight suspected cases of monkeypox in Madrid, newspaper El Pais reported on Wednesday, citing a ministry document and health care sources

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2022) The Spanish health ministry and the autonomous communities of the country announced a health alert after detecting eight suspected cases of monkeypox in Madrid, newspaper El Pais reported on Wednesday, citing a ministry document and health care sources.

Spain rose the alert on Tuesday after neighboring Portugal confirmed three cases of the monkeypox on the same day, the Spanish newspaper reported. Two days earlier, the UK Health Security Agency also confirmed a monkeypox outbreak that has affected seven people, the newspaper added.

The Madrid cases have not yet been confirmed by Spanish National Center for Microbiology, a report noted.

According to the newspaper, it is very hard to identify an epidemiological link between the affected people, which means that there are several unidentified chains of transmission of the virus.

The disease is transmitted through direct physical contact and airborne droplets and is mainly distributed in Central and West Africa. The incubation period usually lasts from 6 to 13 days but it can last up to 21 days.

The symptoms of monkeypox are fever, back and muscle pain, and a rash on the body.