According to the website of the Directorate of Health, the third case of Monkeypox has been diagnosed in Iceland, last Saturday, June 11th. The patient is a male, living in the Reykjavík metropolitan area. According to the announcement, the patient does not have serious symptoms and is quarantined in his own home. Just as is the case with the two prior infections, the source is said to be from Europe, where the infected person was travelling.
Educational information on the virus can be found on the website of the Directorate of Health.
„Monkeypox is a well-known, endemic decease in Mid- and West Africa. It was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, which is where is draws its name from. The first human infection was diagnosed in 1970. It is an orthopox virus and is closely related to smallpox. Up until now, the decease has been very rare outside of Africa.
Cases of the Monkeypox have been diagnosed in most countries in recent weeks, in addition to a few countries outside of Europe where the virus is not endemic, as is the case in Africa. The virus mostly transmits to humans from rodents. However, it has recently been transmitted between people, which is considered unusual but not unheard of.
Everyone can be infected, but up until now infections have mostly been between men who have sex with other men.“
This article was originally published in Icelandic by Lára Garðarsdóttir.