LONDON –
British health officials have found 104 more cases of monkeypox in England in what has become the largest outbreak beyond Africa of the usually rare disease.
The UK Health Security Agency said on Monday that there are currently 470 cases of monkeypox across the country, with the vast majority being gay or bisexual men. Scientists warn that anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, is susceptible to contracting monkeypox if they are in close physical contact with an infected person or his or her clothing or sheets.
According to the United Kingdom, 99% of cases so far have been in men and most are in London.
In May, a leading adviser to the World Health Organization said that the monkeypox epidemic in Europe and beyond had probably spread through sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium.
Last week, the WHO said 1,285 cases of monkeypox had been reported from 28 countries where monkeypox is not known to be endemic. No deaths have been reported outside Africa. After the United Kingdom, the highest number of cases was in Spain, Germany and Canada.
The WHO said many people in the outbreak had “atypical features” of the disease, which could make it difficult for doctors to diagnose. The UN Health Agency also said that while close contact could spread monkeypox, “it is unclear what role sexual body fluids, including semen and vaginal fluids, play in transmission.”
Meanwhile, African countries have reported more than 1,500 suspected cases, including 72 deaths from eight countries. Monkeypox is considered endemic in Central and West Africa.
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