A monkeypox infection has been discovered in a man in Massachusetts, marking the first occurrence of the rare virus in the United States this year.

The patient is an adult male who just traveled to Canada, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Initial testing was done by the agency on Tuesday, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed it.

In a news release, MDPH noted, "The case poses no concern to the public, and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition." "The Department of Public Health is working closely with the CDC, appropriate local boards of health, and the patient's health care providers to identify anyone who may have come into contact with the patient while he was contagious."

It comes after four more cases of monkeypox were identified in the U.K. recently, bringing its nationwide total to nine since the beginning of May.

The resident was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on May 12 and "during the course of their admission they were identified as a possible monkeypox suspect," Dr. Erica Shenoy, associate chief of the hospital's infection control unit, told reporters during a briefing Wednesday.

Hearing about cases of monkeypox in the U.K. encouraged doctors to "think more broadly about the patient's diagnosis," Shenoy said.

Hospital officials said they are unaware of any cases in Canada at this time and do not know where the residents may have contracted the disease.

This comes after five gay or bisexual men in Portugal tested positive, with Spain probing eight suspected monkeypox cases in men.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The first case among humans was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.