Portugal reports 14 new confirmed monkeypox cases, total at 37

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's health authorities reported on Monday 14 new confirmed cases of monkeypox on Monday, bringing the total tally of confirmed cases to 37.

In neighbouring Spain, health authorities in the region of Madrid confirmed four more cases on Monday, raising the total to 34. There are another 38 suspected cases of monkeypox in Madrid.

Monkeypox, which mostly occurs in west and central Africa, is a viral infection that was first recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. Symptoms include fever, headaches and skin rashes starting on the face and spreading to the rest of the body.

The recent outbreak in more than 10 countries where it is not endemic is highly unusual, according to scientists. More than 100 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported, most of them in Europe.

(Reporting by Patricia Vicente Rua. Writing by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip)