Health authorities in the United States of America have confirmed a case of monkey pox, a rare and sometimes serious viral illness.
US health officials said the Monkeypox has been found in a Massachusetts man who went to Canada to see friends at the end of April and returned home in early May. He is currently being treated in hospital.
Dozens of cases of the monkey pox which can be passed to animals and humans, and usually found in Central and West Africa have also been confirmed in Europe this month.
In Portugal, five cases of Monkeypox have been detected out of 20 suspected cases while Spain said it was testing 23 potential cases.
The UK has detected two additional cases of monkeypox in London, taking the total number of monkeypox cases confirmed to 9.
The recent cases are predominantly in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men.
The two latest cases have no travel links to a country where monkeypox is endemic, so it is possible they acquired the infection through community transmission.
United Kingdom Health Service Authorities chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins said this is rare and unusual and UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections.
“The evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the Monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact.
“We are particularly urging men who are gay and bisexual to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions to contact a sexual health service without delay” Dr Hopkins told UK government website.
Symptoms of Monkeypox are similar to but milder than that of smallpox. Monkeypox begins with fever, headache, muscle aches and exhaustion and it usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms of monkey pox to appear.
