Mpox virus cases on the rise in Portugal with 29 people infected

Mpox virus cases on the rise in Portugal with 29 people infected
Anadolu Agency

There are 29 confirmed cases of the mpox virus in Portugal according to local authorities, which reported in the past three months that there were 10 people in August, three in September, and 16 others in October.

The Directorate-General of Health (DGS) and the National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) said recent weeks have seen an increase in cases, suggesting a possible intensification of transmission, although there is still no evidence of a new epidemic peak.

They noted that the rise in October exceeds the monthly average of around 11 cases and stressed that interpreting this increase will depend on laboratory confirmations and the trend of reported cases in the coming weeks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned that all known strains of the mpox virus, also known as monkeypox (MPXV), remain in circulation. If outbreaks are not quickly contained, sustained community transmission is possible.

A newly identified clade, known as clade Ib, has now spread beyond Africa with an increase of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the WHO, Mpox is an infectious viral disease which can occur in both humans and other animals, particularly squirrels and monkeys.

A rash can form which blisters which can form a crust. Other symptoms include fever and swollen lymph nodes. The infection is spread from person to person mainly through close contact.

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