Alongside this we are receiving reports of further cases being identified in other countries globally. "We expect this increase to continue in the coming days and for more cases to be identified in the wider community. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people and that the risk to the UK population remains low.Īnyone with unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service if they have concerns, it said.ĭr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UKHSA, said: "We anticipated that further cases would be detected through our active case finding with NHS services and heightened vigilance among healthcare professionals. It can also be spread through touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash, and through the coughs and sneezes of somebody with the infection. Monkeypox is not normally a sexually-transmitted infection, but it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. Several cases have been confirmed in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who have attended sexual health services.
The first case identified was in a person who had returned from Nigeria but other cases are unrelated to travel, suggesting there is community transmission. The cases in the UK are not all one cluster, with separate cases springing up that are unconnected. The incubation period of monkeypox is usually from six to 13 days but can range from five to 21 days.
The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.Ī rash can develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The disease, which was first discovered in monkeys, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. That is why outbreaks reported across Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States have caused alarm among public health experts. Monkeypox cases are usually found in West Africa, and the virus does not often spread elsewhere. This is being offered to very close contacts of those who have been affected. The Government has some stocks of the smallpox vaccine, which can be effective against monkeypox as the viruses are quite similar. Mr Javid said: "Most cases are mild, and I can confirm we have procured further doses of vaccines that are effective against monkeypox." However, anyone with monkeypox can pass it on, regardless of sexual orientation. There is concern that a sizable number of the confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK have been in gay and bi men. Globally, 127 cases have been reported in 11 countries, according to John Brownstein, professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School in the US, who is keeping track of global cases. There are now 20 cases recorded in the UK. Sajid Javid tweeted that he had updated G7 health ministers on what is known about the spread of the virus. Read more: Monkeypox spreading in UK by 'sexual transmission', experts believe Read more: Monkeypox cases more than double in the UK as WHO prepares to hold emergency talks The region’s cabinet minister for community health, Enrique Ruiz Escudero, said yesterday that health officials had traced many of Spain’s 30 monkeypox cases to a single sauna in the capital.Ī link was first drawn between gay men and monkeypox in the UK earlier in the week, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urging men who have sex with men to be alert to any new rashes or lesions on their body.Įleven new cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the UK, the Health Secretary has said yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 20. By Asher cases in Spain have been linked to a superspreader event at an adult sauna in Madrid.