The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said Wednesday that it has confirmed the only case of monkeypox virus infection in a man who recently traveled to Canada.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday afternoon that laboratories confirmed that the infection was monkeypox.
The state agency said it was working with the CDC and relevant local health departments to conduct contact tracking, adding that “the case poses no risk to the public and the person is hospitalized and in good condition.”
The Public Health Agency of Canada on Wednesday evening issued a statement stating that it is aware of cases of monkeypox in Europe and is closely monitoring the current situation, adding that no cases have been reported so far.
Smallpox, which is mainly found in West and Central Africa, is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox, although milder. It was first recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 1970s. The number of cases in West Africa has increased over the last decade.
Symptoms include fever, headaches and skin rashes that start on the face and spread to the rest of the body.
The Massachusetts news agency said the virus did not spread between people, but transmission could occur through contact with body fluids, monkey wounds, items such as bedding or clothing that have been contaminated with fluid or wounds, or through respiratory drops after prolonged exposure. face. -personal contact.
It says no cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States this year. Texas and Maryland have reported cases in 2021 of people who recently traveled to Nigeria.
The CDC also said it has been tracking several clusters of smallpox monkeys registered in several countries, including Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, over the past two weeks.
Several cases of monkey infestation have been reported or suspected in the UK, Portugal and Spain.
Earlier on Wednesday, Portuguese authorities said they had identified five cases of infection, and Spanish health services said they were investigating 23 potential cases after Britain brought Europe into readiness for the virus.
European health authorities have been monitoring any outbreak since the UK reported its first case on May 7 and has since identified six more in the country.
