One confirmed case of monkeypox has been reported in the US by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in a man who shortly travelled to Canada.

In the last two weeks, cases of monkeypox have been recorded in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal. After Britain put Europe on a high alert for the virus, Portuguese officials announced they had detected five cases and Spain′s health services said they were testing 23 probable cases.

Monkeypox seems similar to smallpox occurring in humans but milder. It is a rare viral infection being more prevalent in Western and Central Africa. The symptoms include fever, lymph node swelling and rashes covering the face and torso. According to the Massachusetts agency monkeypox could be transmitted from the body fluids, monkeypox lesions, infected clothing or bedding or respiratory droplets.

Hence the use of proper personal protective equipment and segregation of monkeypox patients in a negative pressure environment was essential. Healthcare practitioners should be vigilant and report to the state health department or the CDC if they observe any rash that looks like monkeypox among patients. (Reuters, May 20, 2022; MedPage Today May 19, 2022)