The World Health Organization’s European office warned Saturday that the number of monkeypox-related deaths can rise, following reports of the first fatalities outside Africa. But it stressed that severe complications are still rare.

With the continued spread of monkeypox in Europe, more deaths are expected to see, Catherine Smallwood, Senior Emergency Officer at WHO Europe, said in a statement.

Smallwood said that the current goal is to interrupt the quick transmission in Europe and stopp the outbreak.

According to the WHO, more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox have been detected throughout the world outside of Africa since the beginning of May, with the majority of them in Europe.

The Spanish health ministry recorded a second monkeypox-related death on Saturday, a day after Spain and Brazil reported their first fatalities.

Source: VOV5