Monkeypox kills patients in Spain, Brazil

Spain and Brazil reported their first monkeypox virus-related deaths on July 29, followed by Spain reporting its second death on July 30, marking what are thought to be the first fatalities linked to the current outbreak outside of Africa.

Spain is one of the world's worst-hit countries, with 4,298 people there infected with the virus, according to the health ministry's emergency and alert coordination centre, according to France 24.

"Among the 3,750 patients ... 120 have been hospitalised and two have died," the Spanish health ministry said in a report.

In Brazil, a 41-year-old man died of monkeypox, local authorities said on July 24.

The man, who local media said had serious immune system problems, died on July 28 in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the southeastern Minas Gerais state.

He "was receiving hospital treatment for other serious conditions", the state health ministry said in a statement.

"It is important to underline that he had serious comorbidities, so as not to spread panic in the population. The death rate is very low" for monkeypox, said Minas Gerais health secretary Fabio Baccheretti, who added that the patient was undergoing cancer treatment.