On 18 May, the Ministry of Health confirmed to SMC Spain that eight suspected cases "clinically compatible" with monkeypox had been detected. The same afternoon, the Consejería de Sanidad de la Comunidad de Madrid reported that it had detected 23 possible cases of infection. These cases need to be confirmed after testing. At least 7 cases have been confirmed in the UK and Portugal. This is a rare zoonotic viral disease and there is no vaccine or specific treatment available. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Most cases are resolved favourably.

Following the detection of several cases of people infected with the simian smallpox virus in the UK, health authorities are concerned that there may be EU-wide transmission with undetected infections, both within and outside the country. In Spain, the Community of Madrid has identified 23 possible cases of infection.

In the first months of 2022, avian influenza has hit birds in Spain with unprecedented intensity. All outbreaks are now closed and the epidemiological situation is favourable, but we must not let our guard down. The risk of the virus jumping to humans is considered low.

The first direct image of the black hole at the centre of our galaxy shows a 'monster' devouring matter at a slow pace. The black hole itself is spinning, and its spin axis is pointing just 30 degrees away from us. The result shows that the size of the black hole is proportional to the mass it contains, confirming the theory of general relativity. Xavier Barcons, ESO's Director General, assesses the new finding.

An international team of researchers has captured the first image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. The results are published today in a special issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

After many decades of study and thanks to the use of very precise techniques, we know more and more about these mysterious and huge bodies in the cosmos. Astronomers around the world are networking with powerful telescopes to better understand them.

Cerebrospinal fluid provides nutrients and other elements to brain cells. Scientists now show that by obtaining it from young mice and injecting it into the brains of old mice, the latter recover their memory. The effect is attributed to a protein, Fgf17, presented today in Nature as a possible brain rejuvenation factor. 

A study published today in the journal Nature Communications analyses the genomic variability of the influenza virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic and how it gave rise to the subsequent seasonal H1N1 influenza.

"The level of alcohol consumption that does not harm health is zero," says a review of dozens of studies conducted in recent years on the effect of light drinking. The 20 or so authors of the paper, and other experts, insist that "alcohol is carcinogenic from the first drink". In their view, this message should be conveyed more clearly to the public.

Studies have shown that the coronavirus has caused life expectancy to fall in many parts of the world in recent years, although differences between countries and regions are considerable. The latest WHO estimates are close to 15 million deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2021.