As more cases of monkeypox are reported in several European countries as well as the United States, Canada and Australia, some scientists who have monitored numerous outbreaks in Africa say they are baffled by the unusual disease's spread in the West.
Cases of the smallpox-related disease have not previously been seen among people with no links to central and West Africa. But in the past week, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the U.S., Sweden and Canada all reported infections, mostly in young men who had not previously traveled to Africa.
France, Germany, Belgium and Australia confirmed on Friday their first cases of monkeypox, joining a number of other European and North American nations in detecting the disease endemic in parts of Africa.
Monkeypox was identified in a 29-year-old man in the Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris, who had not recently returned from a country where the virus is circulating, France's health authorities said Friday.
Separately, the German armed forces' microbiology institute said it has confirmed the virus in a patient who developed skin lesions – a symptom of the disease.
With the growing number of detected cases in several European countries, Germany's health agency Robert Koch Institute has urged people returning from West Africa to see their doctors quickly if they notice any changes in their skin.
And in Belgium, microbiologist Emmanuel Andre confirmed in a tweet that the University of Leuven's lab had confirmed a second of two cases in the country, in a man from the Flemish Brabant.
Australia also reported Friday its first monkeypox case in a traveler who recently returned from Britain, while a probable case of infection was identified with testing being carried out to confirm it.
A man in his 30s who arrived in Melbourne on Monday has the virus, Victoria state's health department said, while the probable case was identified in Sydney in a man in his 40s who had recently traveled to Europe.
Both men developed the mild illness after arriving back in Australia with symptoms clinically compatible with monkeypox, health officials said.
"Just to reassure the community, it is not the same spread mechanism as COVID-19 or flu, where it is more fleeting," New South Wales state Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters.
Meanwhile, Italy confirmed Friday two more cases of monkeypox infection at the Spallanzani hospital in Rome, bringing the total cases to three so far in the country. The Lazio region health commissioner said in a statement that two other suspected infections related to the first detected case had been confirmed.
The U.K. Health Security Agency has also confirmed 11 new cases of monkeypox in Britain, Health Minister Sajid Javid announced Friday.
Britain had previously reported a total of nine cases of the usually mild viral illness, characterized by symptoms of fever as well as a distinctive bumpy rash. "UKHSA have confirmed 11 new cases of monkeypox in the UK. This morning I updated G7 Health Ministers on what we know so far," Javid said on Twitter.
"Most cases are mild, and I can confirm we have procured further doses of vaccines that are effective against Monkeypox."
Regional authorities in Spain's Madrid reported 14 confirmed cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of cases to 21 in Spain. There are another 20 suspected cases, 19 in the central region of Madrid and one in the Canary Islands, health authorities said.
The rare disease – which is not usually fatal – often manifests itself through fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face.
The virus can be transmitted through contact with skin lesions and droplets of fluid from a contaminated person, as well as through shared items such as bedding and towels.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it was looking closely at the issue and in particular that some of the cases in the U.K. appeared to have been transmitted within the gay community. Monkeypox usually clears up after two to four weeks, according to the WHO.