Mexico reported the country’s first confirmed case of monkeypox on Saturday, according to Deputy Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell.
Lopez-Gatell said on Twitter that the patient was a 50-year-old permanent resident of New York who is being treated in Mexico City.
“He was probably infected in the Netherlands,” wrote López-Gatell, adding that the patient was being isolated and was in stable condition.
On Friday, Argentina became the first Latin American country to report a case of monkeypox.
about 20 countries where monkeypox Not endemic, has reported outbreaks of the viral disease, with more than 200 confirmed or suspected infections, mostly in Europe.
Outbreaks are raising alarm because monkeypox, which is spread by close contact and was first detected in monkeys, occurs mostly in West and Central Africa, and only occasionally spreads elsewhere.
Monkeypox virus can be transmitted to humans by infected animals. Person-to-person transmission is possible but rare.
Monkeypox is related to smallpox but is much less serious. Early symptoms include high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a chickenpox-like rash.
There is no specific treatment but vaccination against smallpox has been found to be about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization on Friday issued a warning against the disease, saying countries should take the right measures to ease cases of monkeypox and share data about their vaccine stockpiles.