RABAT, May 23 -- Morocco announced on Monday that it has identified three suspected cases of the viral disease monkeypox.

The three suspected cases, currently under health care, are in good health and have gone through medical analysis, pending results, said the Ministry of Health.

The ministry said it had formed a special task force to monitor the national situation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed cases of monkeypox in 12 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, France, and Sweden.

These cases exclude the 21 countries where the disease is considered endemic, all in West and Central Africa.

  - Xinhua