As the number of cases of monkeypox in the UK rises to seven, what is the situation and cause for concern?
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral infection commonly found in Central and West Africa. Several cases have previously been diagnosed in the United Kingdom, the first being reported in 2018 to an individual believed to have contracted the virus in Nigeria.
There are two forms of monkeypox, a lighter West African strain and a heavier strain in Central Africa or the Congo. Newly diagnosed individuals are thought to have a West African strain.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, early symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and chills, and other characteristics such as exhaustion.
“A rash can develop, often starting in the face and then spreading to other parts of the body, including the genitals,” says UKHSA. “The rash changes and goes through different stages and can look like chickenpox or syphilis before it finally forms scabs that later go away.”
Most patients recover from monkeypox in a few weeks.
How is it spread?
Monkeypox does not spread easily among humans and requires close contact. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human-to-human transmission is thought to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets.
“Respiratory droplets usually cannot travel more than a few feet, so prolonged face-to-face contact is required,” says the CDC. “Other methods of human-to-human transmission include direct contact with body fluids or lesion material and indirect contact with lesion material, such as contaminated clothing or underwear.
How many new cases are there in the UK?
The first recent case in the UK was reported on 7 May, with the patient recently traveling to Nigeria. A week later, two more patients were reported to be being treated for monkeypox in London. They lived in the same household and it is believed that their infections were not related to the previous case.
Four more cases of monkeypox were reported on Monday, three in London and one in the north-east of England. These four cases do not appear to be related to any of the previous ones, and it is believed that all those involved were infected in London. All four of these cases are in men who identify themselves as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men.
Does this mean that monkeypox is sexually transmitted?
Dr Michael Head, a senior global health researcher at the University of Southampton, says the latest cases may be the first transmission of monkeypox, although sexual contact has been documented, but this has not been confirmed and is likely close in any case. contact that matters.
“There is no evidence that it is a sexually transmitted virus, such as HIV,” says Head. “Rather, close contact during sexual or intimate activity, including prolonged skin-to-skin contact, may be a key factor during transmission.
UKHSA advises gay and bisexual men, as well as other communities of men who have sex with men, to look out for unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially the genitals. “Anyone who has concerns that they may be infected with monkeypox is advised to contact the clinics before visiting,” UKHSA said.
How concerned should we be?
At the moment, the answer doesn’t seem to be much. Experts suggest that there is unlikely to be a major outbreak, although it is important to identify the contacts of those infected.
Dr Susan Hopkins, UKHSA’s chief medical adviser, called the situation “rare and unusual”, but added: “UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections because evidence suggests there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus through close contact. “
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