Argentina reports first monkeypox case

LONDON

Argentine authorities announced the first case of the monkeypox virus in the South American nation on Friday, after a man had recently traveled to Spain.

Authorities also reported another suspected case of the virus although tests are ongoing. It is the first time the virus has been confirmed on the continent of South America.

A Ministry of Health statement said the sequencing of the virus showed strong similarities to the monkeypox subvariant from West Africa and in keeping with the trend of new monkeypox infections worldwide.

According to the statement, the patient with the confirmed case of the virus was " in good condition, undergoing symptomatic treatment" and added that the man's close contacts are under clinical and epidemiological observation but have not presented any symptoms to date.

Authorities said the infected patient had been in Spain from April 28 until May 16.

According to the local daily, Infobae the man is 40 years old and a resident of the northern area of Greater Buenos Aires. Four days after returning to Argentina, the man developed a range of symptoms from fever to blisters. He was checked over by medical authorities, before being isolated pending his results which came back positive for the monkeypox virus.

On Friday, health authorities also reported another suspected case of the monkeypox virus in a resident of Spain, visiting the province of Buenos Aires - but stressed there was "no connection with the first case."

The statement said the suspected person "has ulcerative lesions without other associated symptoms, arrived in the country on May 25 and symptoms began yesterday, May 26, 2022."

"The patient is in good condition, isolated, and receiving symptomatic treatment. His close contacts are under strict clinical and epidemiological follow-up, all of them being asymptomatic to date."