In Belgium, 224 confirmed cases of monkeypox and one probable case have been registered so far, health authority Sciensano reported. Last week, there were 168 confirmed cases.
So far monkeypox has affected 125 patients in Flanders, 76 in Brussels and 24 in Wallonia. All of the cases have been detected in men between 20 and 62 years old.
However, since the beginning of May this year, the virus has been spreading in Europe and beyond, with infections occurring mainly but not exclusively in men who have sexual contact with men.
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Last week, Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced that healthcare providers and people who had unprotected high-risk contact with an infected person can be vaccinated against monkeypox from this week onward.
Until now, the disease has mainly occurred in forested parts of Central and West Africa, with sporadic cases in other countries linked to travel to those areas.
