Several European countries have reported cases in recent days. British authorities have pointed out that their most recent cases have been detected in men who defined themselves as gay, bisexual or as having had sex with men, with suspicions that there may be community transmission of the pathogen in this group.

The Paraiso sauna, a gay-friendly establishment whose name means “paradise” in the heart of Madrid, said on Twitter it was shutting its doors.

“The Paraiso sauna will remain closed for the next few days, a precautionary measure in the face of the alert… over the emergence of so-called monkey pox infections in the Madrid region,” it said.

Enrique Ruiz Escudero, a health official for the Madrid region, told reporters the authorities had recorded 21 confirmed cases and 19 suspected cases.

“Most people who tested positive have a link to this source,” he said, referring to the sauna.

Official tallies often take time to be updated at national level in Spain.

The health ministry’s latest monkeypox count was of seven confirmed cases nationwide and 23 people who tested positive for a “non-human” virus but still awaited further results.

Other regions in the country, including Galicia, the Basque Country and Estremadura, have also reported suspected infections.

Monkeypox is not usually fatal but often manifests itself through fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face.

The virus can be transmitted through contact with skin lesions or droplets of bodily fluid from an infected person.

READ MORE: Eight suspected monkeypox cases detected in Spain