Time: 2024-08-16
People in Spain are being warned after the rise of mpox - formerly monkeypox - in the European Union country . UK tourists have been warned as the World Health Organisation issued a warning over the rise of cases on the continent , which have seemingly come from Africa . Thirty - four countries in Africa are either reporting infections or considered at high risk , an Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ( Africa CDC ) briefing was told . Infections are also being reported in Burundi , Kenya , Rwanda and Uganda , neighbouring countries to the DRC where cases had previously not occurred.
Mpox infection was reported in Murcia as the World Health Organization declared an international health emergency . Experts believe the new variant spreading through 9 regions of Spain is ten times more deadly . Just one day after the WHO declaration , the Spanish Ministry of Health revealed that the highly Infectious disease was detected in a patient in the Region of Murcia last month . Despite widespread warnings , mpox infections have been confirmed in eight other regions in the last 30 days . The Ministry has announced a technical group meeting to discuss the plan of attack in dealing with this outbreak.
Since the beginning of the outbreak in 2022 , a total of 8,104 confirmed cases of mpox infection have been reported in Spain in 17 autonomous communities . This year , up to August 8 , a total of 264 cases of mpox have been reported to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network ( Renave ) , the majority of infections in men with a median age of 37 years and born in Spain . The new strain 's potential lethality is causing concern among experts , presenting up to ten times more cases of serious illness and mortality.
Spain is a go - to for Brits abroad , with 260 confirmed cases this year , nearly half in the Madrid area . 16 infections were reported between July 5 and August 5 by the Carlos III Institute , with 16.4 % reporting close contact with a probable or confirmed case . The new strain of mpox is causing alarm due to its potential lethality , with concerns raised by Francisco Javier Membrillo , vice president of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology ( Seimc ) . Images released by the Ministry of Health show the seriousness of the situation , with the need for urgent action to combat the outbreak in various regions of Spain.