Ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak, Portugal, 29 April to 23 May 2022

Perez Duque, Mariana; Ribeiro, Sofia; Martins, João Vieira; Casaca, Pedro; Leite, Pedro Pinto; Tavares, Margarida; Mansinho, Kamal; Duque, Luís Miguel; Fernandes, Cândida; Cordeiro, Rita; Borrego, Maria José; Pelerito, Ana; de Carvalho, Isabel Lopes; Núncio, Sofia; Manageiro, Vera; Minetti, Corrado; Machado, Jorge; Haussig, Joana M; Croci, Roberto; Spiteri, Gianfranco; Casal, Ana Sofia; Mendes, Diana; Souto, Tiaga; Pocinho, Sara; Fernandes, Teresa; Firme, Ana; Vasconcelos, Paula and Freitas, Graça (2022). Ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak, Portugal, 29 April to 23 May 2022. Eurosurveillance, 27(22)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.22.2200424

Abstract

Up to 27 May 2022, Portugal has detected 96 confirmed cases of monkeypox. We describe 27 confirmed cases (median age: 33 years (range: 22–51); all males), with an earliest symptom onset date of 29 April. Almost all cases (n = 25) live in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley health region. Most cases were neither part of identified transmission chains, nor linked to travel or had contact with symptomatic persons or with animals, suggesting the possible previously undetected spread of monkeypox.