Monkeypox is spreading quickly: cases have already been registered in 75 countries. Europe is particularly affected – the first death in Europe has now been reported.
Madrid – The first death from a monkeypox infection has been registered in Spain. According to the state television broadcaster RTVE and other Spanish media, this is also the first death in Europe.
The infected person died of the disease in the Valencia region in the north-east of the country, the Ministry of Health in Madrid said on Friday evening. In a situation report on the current monkeypox outbreak earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded a total of five deaths – all in the African region. The death of a man infected with monkeypox also became known in Brazil on Friday.
Further information about the person who died in Spain was not initially disclosed. Spain is one of the countries hardest hit by the disease in the world. Of the 4,298 cases of infection recorded across the country so far, only 120 have required hospitalization, it said.
spread of the disease
In view of the rapid spread of monkeypox, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the highest alert level at the weekend. The outbreak is an “emergency of international concern,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday in Geneva.
According to Tedros over the weekend, more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox had already been confirmed in 75 countries. Europe is particularly affected. In contrast to the rest of the world, the WHO assesses the risk of infection as high, according to the WHO boss. Almost exclusively men have therefore been infected with the virus. dpa
#monkeypox #death #Europe