France sees 1st case of monkeypox

France on Friday reported the country's first case of monkeypox, with the patient being isolated at home.

France's Health Ministry confirmed the case after a PCR test was done on the patient on Thursday, French news channel BFMTV reported, adding that the patient was a 29-year-old man residing in the Ile-de-France region.

According to the Ministry, the patient's condition is not considered serious and worrying; the man is isolating at his home, the report said.

The health ministry noted that the patient had not traveled to any other country which registered monkeypox cases recently.

The situation is unusual, according to the ministry.

However, cases of monkeypox had been reported in Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United States and Canada.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that is unusual in humans.

It spreads through close contact between humans and animals, and can also pass between humans after close contact.

Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headache, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and skin manifestations such as blisters.