On Friday, Argentina reported two instances of monkeypox in men who had recently arrived from Spain, marking the first time the virus’s presence has been confirmed in Latin America during this outbreak.
Argentina’s Ministry of Health was the first to confirm that a man from the province of Buenos Aires had travelled to Spain and contracted monkeypox. A suspected case involving a Spaniard who had arrived in Argentina earlier in the week was also proven positive later in the day, according to the Ministry.
Argentina has become the latest country to confirm monkeypox cases as part of a global outbreak that has seen the rare virus spread to countries where outbreaks are not normally seen.
According to Argentina’s Health Ministry, the virus in the first confirmed case shared a high degree of similarity with monkeypox from western Africa, as has been the case with other new outbreaks around the world.
The patients’ identities have been withheld by authorities, but they are both in good condition and are being segregated while undergoing treatment for their symptoms.
The first verified case involves a guy who visited Spain from April 28 to May 16 and developed symptoms similar to monkeypox on Sunday, including lesions and a fever.
According to the Health Ministry, all of his close contacts are being watched, and none of them have shown any symptoms thus far.
The second verified case is a Spaniard who landed in Argentina on Wednesday and has no connection to the first case.
On Thursday, the individual, who was also in the province of Buenos Aires, presented with lesions that looked like monkeypox.
“The patient is in good general condition,” the Health Ministry noted. “He is isolated and getting symptomatic therapy.” None of his close friends or acquaintances have yet to show any signs of illness.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have lately been reported in more than 20 nations that aren’t typically recognised for having outbreaks. However, it appeared as if this was an underestimate.
Spain has become the core of this new outbreak, with 98 confirmed cases as of Friday, according to health officials. The UK has confirmed 106 instances, while the number of patients infected with monkeypox in Portugal has risen to 74, according to the country’s health ministry.
There have been cases reported in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and Italy, among other places.
