A man from Spain, the first case of monkeypox recorded in Latin America

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Argentine health authorities confirmed on Friday the first case of monkeypox recorded in Latin America.

"The result of the PCR sample taken by the Malbrán Institute from the

," reported a statement from the Ministry of Health, adding that "the sequencing showed a high percentage of homology with sequences from the West African clade."

According to the Argentine press, it is a

.

The patient is

," while his close contacts are under clinical and epidemiological control and without presenting symptoms, the report said.

The Ministry of Health also notified the appearance of another suspicious case of a

the province of Buenos Aires and has no connection with the previous patient.

"The person has ulcerative lesions

, arrived in the country on May 25 and started symptoms on May 26. The patient is in good general condition, isolated and receiving symptomatic treatment," the report said.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus

infected animals.

Person-to-person transmission is possible but rare.

The disease was first identified in

, and is currently considered endemic in a dozen African countries.

Its appearance in

.

So far, confirmed cases in non-endemic areas are generally mild and no deaths have been reported.

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