Monkeypox virus.. WHO emergency meeting and experts confirm its spread among homosexuals

The World Health Organization held an emergency meeting on the outbreak of monkeypox, which began to spread in several countries, while the British Health Security Agency revealed that the spread of the disease was noticeably among "homosexuals and bisexuals" in both the United Kingdom and Europe.

And the Spanish Ministry of Health announced, on Friday, that the total number of people infected with the disease in Spain has reached 39, which is the country with the largest number of cases of the disease in the world.

Health Adviser to the Madrid Regional Government, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, revealed that the procedures for tracking cases carried out by the Directorate of Public Health of the Madrid Regional Government revealed that the majority of cases of the disease were linked to a "sauna" bath frequented by homosexuals.

Cases were also monitored in Britain and Portugal, while one infection was recorded in the US state of Massachusetts.

British health authorities said they suspected monkeypox had been infected through same-sex sexual relations.

The chief medical advisor at the British Health Security Agency, Susan Hopkins, revealed that a significant proportion of recent cases of monkeypox patients in the United Kingdom and Europe were recorded among homosexuals.

She added that Britain expected to discover more cases in the coming days, calling on health care professionals to "increase vigilance."

Earlier, the British Ministry of Health confirmed that 20 cases of monkeypox had been detected, including 11 that were announced on Friday.

And 11 countries in Europe and North America announced that they had detected monkeypox infections, including Italy, Portugal, Sweden, France, as well as Germany, Belgium, Canada, and the United States.

The American Society of Tropical Medicine said about the spread of monkeypox that there was "no cause for panic", but the World Health Organization (WHO) has dealt with the outbreak more cautiously.

On Friday morning, Australia confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Victoria, while another case is still being investigated in Sydney.

The disease is transmitted through saliva, nasal secretions and the resulting rash, as well as the use of common items such as bedding and towels, as well as sexual relations, especially abnormal ones.