A 36-year-old patient in Italy returned from holiday in Spain and later presented with a series of symptoms that led doctors to carry out a series of tests. They found he was the first patient so far discovered to have COVID, monkeypox and HIV.

Health authorities have been warned to keep a look out for monkeypox occurring in patients at the same time as COVID-19 after a case was identified in Italy.

It comes after a 36-year-old man sought treatment when he showed symptoms following a trip to Madrid from his home in Sicily.

He had suffered a fever, headache, fatigue and sore throat to begin with, but also had a number of large spots, which began to bulge.

A research paper published in the Journal of Infection said tests on the man found that he was not just suffering from the coronavirus, but also had monkeypox.

Further tests diagnosed he was also HIV positive, it added - the first case of infection by the three viruses.