Spain confirms 7 monkeypox cases as European outbreak grows

MADRID (AP) — Health officials in Spain reported seven cases of monkeypox and Portugal updated its number of confirmed cases to 14 Thursday as an outbreak of a viral disease typically limited to Africa expanded in Europe.

In Spain, all of the reported cases to date involved men in Madrid, officials said. Health officials are currently testing another 22 suspected cases, said Antonio Zapatero of the regional health department.

“It’s possible that more cases will emerge in the coming days,” Zapatero told Spanish radio network Onda Cero.

Officials said all of the cases identified so far were mild and that the infections appeared linked to close contact among two chains of transmission. No details were given as to whether the men had traveled to Africa or whether the cases were connected to other reported cases across Europe.

Portuguese authorities said Thursday that the 14 cases confirmed in the country all were reported in the area surrounding the capital city of Lisbon.

Meanwhile, the tally of confirmed cases in Britain rose to nine. Britain’s Health Security Agency said Wednesday that recent cases reported this week had been seen “predominantly in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men,” though it noted that it was unclear how exactly people had gotten infected.

In Rome, the Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital said Thursday it had confirmed one case of monkeypox in a patient who had recently traveled to Spain's Canary Islands. Sweden’s public health agency also reported one case Thursday, saying it remained unclear how the patient became infected.

Monkeypox has not previously been documented to have spread through sex, but can be transmitted through close contact with infected people, their clothing or bedsheets.

The U.S. state of Massachusetts on Wednesday reported one...