MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fifth case of monkeypox detected in Argentina

The 32-year-old patient had traveled to Europe recently

Argentine health authorities have confirmed a fifth case nationwide of monkeypox, it was reported Wednesday.

After the World Health Organization said on June 22 that over 3,400 cases of the malady had been reported worldwide, Argentina ratified a new detection following proper laboratory studies at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INEI) of the National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”.

The new detection is a 32-year-old man with a history of travel to Europe, who began showing symptoms compatible with the disease on June 23. Four days later he made a medical consultation in the city of Buenos Aires, where he was treated on an outpatient basis. Samples were then sent to the national reference laboratory, after which a positive PCR result for monkeypox was confirmed.

In any case, the World Health Organization has pointed out that 86% of the cases worldwide had been diagnosed in Europe. The disease's symptoms include swollen glands, fever, tiredness, or migraines.

The international agency has determined it was not necessary yet to declare an international emergency on the matter. “Some patients may also present with sexually transmitted infections and should be tested and receive appropriate treatment,” the international institution stressed about possible and future monkeypox investigations.

These individuals may present in various health care and community settings, including, but not limited to, primary and secondary care, fever clinics, sexual health services, infectious disease units, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency departments, surgical specialties, and dermatology clinics,” WHO officials said.

In Europe, 2,933 cases have been reported (86%), in the Americas 381 (11%), in Africa 73 (2%), and less than 1% in the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions, with 26 detections. So far, the first and only death from this outbreak of monkeypox has been reported in Nigeria.

In South America, cases have been reported in Chile, Colombia, and Brazil.