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Date Published: 12/07/2022

ARCHIVED - Monkeypox: Third case confirmed in the Region of Murcia and two others under investigation

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

A 30-year-old man is the latest patient to test positive for monkeypox in the Region of Murcia

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Monkeypox: Third case confirmed in the Region of Murcia and two others under investigation

The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in the Region of Murcia has risen to three with PCR tests currently being carried out on samples from two other suspected patients.

According to the Regional Ministry of Health, the three confirmed cases correspond to three males: one aged between 40 and 49 who does not live in the Region of Murcia, and two others aged 30 who live in health area I (Murcia West).

The two "probable" cases are two other men between 30 and 40, also from area I. Samples from these patients have been sent to the National Microbiology Centre for study and the Ministry is still awaiting the PCR results.

Despite the fact that four of the five patients are from the same Murcia West area and all but one derive from the same autonomous community, the Ministry's Epidemiology Service has found no links between the different infected people.

"We cannot rule out the possibility of transmission within the region, but we have not established this," explained the head of the Epidemiology Service, María Dolores Chirlaque, on Monday July 11. Close contacts are being followed up, while the tracing continues.

The Region of Murcia is faring significantly better than the likes of Madrid and other regions in Spain in terms of contagion, but public health experts are still concerned about the "stigmatisation" to which patients are being subjected.

"It is very important to avoid this, because it can hinder tracing and facilitate transmission," warned Chirlaque.

Meanwhile, the health department has assured that "the regional health system is prepared to deal with this pathology, as well as for its diagnosis and epidemiological control".

According to data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RENAVE) published on Friday July 8, the number of confirmed cases in Spain stands at 2,034.

The infections have been reported in 16 communities communities: Madrid (922), Catalonia (665), Andalusia (181), Canary Islands (66), Valencia (49), Balearic Islands (35), Basque Country (31), Aragon (23), Asturias (16), Castilla-La Mancha (12), Galicia (12), Castilla y León (6), Navarra (6), Extremadura (4), Cantabria (3) and Murcia (3).

Of the infected patients, only 1,528 have been confirmed as either male or female, with the vast majority (1,512) being men and 16 are women. There is no information on the remaining patients.

In terms of age, they range from three and 76-years-old, with a median age of 37.

In 89.7% of reported cases, infection occurred in the context of sexual intercourse and 10.3% through close non-sexual contact. Most patients have presented anogenital and other skin conditions such as a rash, along with a fever.

And only 38 have suffered "clinical complications", according to RENAVE, specifically secondary bacterial infections and mouth ulcers.

However, RENAVE and the Ministry have stressed that Spain remains the country with the highest number of reported cases in Europe. According to the latest data, 1,490 infections have been detected in Germany, 1,352 in the UK and 577 in France.

There are also outbreaks in many other countries, such as the United States (700 cases).

Image: Freepik

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