Portuguese health authorities have confirmed five cases of monkeypox in young men, marking an unusual outbreak in Europe of a disease typically limited to Africa.
Portugal’s General Directorate for Health said Wednesday that it also is investigating 15 suspected cases and that all were identified this month in the Lisbon area.
British health authorities said earlier this week they had identified four cases of monkeypox spread in London among gay and bisexual men.
Spain’s Health Ministry said it had detected eight suspected cases of monkeypox that still needed to be confirmed.
The disease belongs to a family of viruses that includes chickenpox and smallpox. Most people recover from monkeypox within weeks.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern Tuesday, warning of the possibility that the illness could spread beyond Europe, STAT reported.
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