The health official said that nine cases have been recorded with the disease in that state and the first of them was detected on June 11.

Two of that total are suspected cases and of the active cases, four were reported in Guadalajara and three in Puerto Vallarta.

The first sick person was a US tourist who allegedly become infected in Texas and was vacationing at the Mantamar Beach Club in late May.

The tourist attended several parties there, however, he began to show symptoms, so, when he was diagnosed and isolated in the hospital, he escaped and returned to the United States, Petersen said.

So far, he said, 55 people are still under epidemiological surveillance, after three people were reported with the disease in the Club.

The Secretariat of Health warned that monkeypox contagions could increase because it can take up to 21 days for the first symptoms to appear.

pgh/iff/mem/lma