Confirmed Case of Monkeypox in Argentina... First Case in Latin America

As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and demand for overseas travel increases, the threat of imported COVID-19 variants and monkeypox is gradually rising. The COVID-19 testing center at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the 26th. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The first confirmed case of monkeypox has been reported in Latin America.

On the 27th (local time), the Argentine Ministry of Health announced that a man who recently traveled to Spain tested positive for monkeypox through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The man is reported to be in stable condition and receiving symptomatic treatment.

This is the first confirmed case of monkeypox in Latin America. The Argentine Ministry of Health also stated that a Spanish national currently visiting Argentina is showing suspected symptoms of monkeypox, but this case is known to be unrelated to the first confirmed patient.

The Ecuadorian Ministry of Health also announced on the same day that a man living in the capital city Quito, who recently traveled to Africa, is the first suspected case of monkeypox in the country.

Monkeypox has become endemic in Central and West Africa and is recently spreading to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the day before that over 200 cumulative confirmed cases have been identified recently in about 20 countries classified as non-endemic for monkeypox.