Italy reported Thursday (May 19) the first case of monkeypox in a human, after a series of European and North American cases of this disease usually endemic in West Africa.
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The disease was identified in a young adult who had recently returned from the Canary Islands, said the Institute of Infectious Diseases at Spallanzani Hospital in Rome.
The patient placed in isolation is receiving treatment and is in stable condition, according to a statement from the hospital published by Italian news agencies, adding that two other suspected cases were being evaluated.
The health manager for the Lazio region (which includes Rome), Alessio D'Amato, confirmed on social media that this was the first case in Italy, adding that the situation was "
under constant surveillance
".
“Follow the situation closely”
This uncommon disease usually manifests with fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes on the hands and face, like chickenpox.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is due to publish its first risk assessment report "
early next week
", the European Union's disease and epidemics agency said.
The agency, which says it is “
monitoring the situation closely
”, recommends “
isolating and testing suspected cases and reporting them quickly
”.
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Several dozen suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox have been detected since the beginning of May in Europe and North America, raising fears of the start of the spread of this disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday it is taking a close interest that some of the cases in the UK appear to have been passed on within the gay community.
