Europe records first deaths linked to spread of monkeypox

Europe has recorded its first deaths linked to the spread of monkeypox as Spain registered two victims in two days, according the Spanish Health Ministry.

The first death was recorded on Friday in the Valencia region, in Spain's north-east. The second was reported on Saturday, in the southern Atlantic coast province of Andalusia. Both victims had been hospitalized with infections that attacked the brain in the days before their deaths.

Valencia's Health Ministry said on Friday that the patient had died "of encephalitis caused by an infection" and said that the case was being "analysed to absolutely clarify the cause." Regional newspaper Levante wrote that the victim was a man, aged about 40 and had been in an intensive care station in the city of Alicante.

Andalusia's Health Ministry said the victim there was 31 and suffered from a meningitis-like infection. He was treated at an intensive care station in the university hospital of Córdoba.

It is possible the deaths are linked to pre-existing conditions predating the monkeypox infection. Madrid's Instituto de Salud Carlos III is taking tissue samples to conduct a more thorough examination.

Spain has been hit by monkeypox worse than many other countries, reporting 4,300 cases at 120 hospitals to date, according to the Health Ministry.

The World Health Organization (WHO) noted five deaths in its situation report from earlier in the week - all of them were in Africa.

Brazil also reported a possible monkeypox death on Friday. The case is still being analysed and the patient had other relevant comorbidities, the Health Ministry in Brasilia said in a press conference.

The WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak across dozens of countries an "emergency of international concern" last Saturday. Monkeypox is spread by direct contact and transmission of bodily fluids and typically results in a rash similar to the one caused by smallpox, though it is generally considered to be less severe than smallpox.

The WHO has logged more than 22,000 cases worldwide. Europe has been particularly badly affected, with more than 14,000 of those cases.

The virus has almost exclusively infected men.