Spain reported its second monkeypox-related death on Saturday, in what is believed to be the second death in Europe from the disease in the current outbreak.
Spain reported its first death on Friday, shortly after Brazil reported the first monkeypox-related death outside the African continent in the current wave of the disease.
According to a July 22 World Health Organization report, only five deaths had been reported, all in Africa. The WHO last Saturday declared the fast-spreading outbreak a global health emergency, its highest alert level.
In its latest report on Saturday, Spain’s health ministry said 4,298 cases had been confirmed in the country. Of the 3,750 patients for whom he had information, 120, or 3.2 percent, had been hospitalized, and two had died, he said, without elaborating.
The first death occurred in the northeast of Valencia and the cause was encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain associated with infection, local media reported, citing the regional health department.
The Brazilian victim was a 41-year-old man who, according to the health ministry, also suffered from lymphoma and a weakened immune system.
“Comorbidities aggravated his condition,” the ministry said.
He added that the patient was hospitalized in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte and died of septic shock after being transferred to intensive care.