The Spanish Ministry of Health has reported today that 23 of the cases suspected of being infected with monkeypox, tested positive for PCR tests carried out at the National Center for Microbiology (CNM). In this way, the confirmed cases of this virus, endogenous to central and western Africa, have already risen to 30.

Spain becomes the non-African country with the highest number of positives in the current outbreak, which was first identified on May 7 in London and which already affects at least eight European countries, in addition to the United States, Canada and Australia.

Experts predict that a trickle of new cases will continue to appear in the coming days, because the chain of infections began in April, but it was not until this week that the first patient was diagnosed, after raising the alert in the United Kingdom.

The first new cases could come from the half dozen people still under study. Later, new patients with compatible symptoms could appear: fever, rashes and swollen lymph nodes.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that the World Health Organization is calling an extraordinary meeting of experts to address the situation.

“The main topics of conversation are believed to be around how the virus is spreading, the unusually high prevalence in gay and bisexual men, as well as the vaccination situation,” the post said.