A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Melbourne, while a probable case in Sydney remains under investigation, the Australian ABC News reported on Friday. 

Canada has confirmed its first two cases of monkeypox, both in the province of Quebec, the country's Public Health Agency said in a statement issued on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Massachusetts Department of Public Health said it had confirmed a single case of monkeypox virus infection in a man who had recently traveled to Canada.

Several European countries have also reported their first confirmed monkeypox cases, including the UK, Sweden, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

The outbreak spread in Europe after cases were initially reported in the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said confirmed an individual has been diagnosed with monkeypox in England who has traveled from Nigeria, where they are believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO said monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks, but severe cases can occur.

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Explainer: What is monkeypox and where is it spreading?