Monkeypox has been slammed as a 'completely inappropriate term' by Manchester leaders. The comments come as the World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is coming up with a new name for the virus after more than 30 scientists wrote the 'urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatising name.
The illness is seeing a rise in the UK as of the latest figures published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Tuesday, June 21. In the North West, cases have risen by more than five times in just two weeks - from less than five to 26.
Greater Manchester has seen a suspected case be reported in Wigan, however it is understood that there have been no other suspected cases reported elsewhere in the region so far. Manchester City Council has today (June 22) shared its plan to deal with the latest increase.
READ MORE: 'Concerned' medics have a plan to deal with Monkeypox if it spreads to Greater Manchester
During last month's health scrutiny committee, new Green Party Woodhouse councillor Astrid Johnson questioned whether Manchester City Council should be lobbying for a name change amid fears that the narrative about gay people perpetuated during the HIV and AIDS pandemic will be repeated as news of monkeypox emerges. The concerns were shared by fellow councillors, including Harpurhey's Pat Karney.
"The WHO are now talking about renaming it. I think we all would approve of that because it's a completely inappropriate term", said Councillor Joanne Green, the chair of Manchester City Council's health scrutiny committee in an update for the group this morning.
The WHO confirmed last week that is it working with experts to come up with a new name for monkeypox. The move follows a host of international scientists writing a letter for virological.org saying that continued reference to the virus as African is both inaccurate and discriminatory.
The WHO says it will hold an emergency meeting next week to determine whether to classify the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern - the highest alarm the UN agency can sound - the BBC reports.
The only other diseases this has happened for in the past are Swine flu, polio, Ebola, Zika and Covid. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "The outbreak of monkeypox is unusual and concerning.
"For that reason I have decided to convene the Emergency Committee under the international health regulations next week, to assess whether this outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern."
Manchester City Council shared its approach to the virus at the health scrutiny committee. Councillors say that the local Manchester health protection system is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency, the NHS and local organisations to 'support actions to control monkeypox'.
Those actions include:
- Using national communications messaging and adapting materials for local use for targeted work
- Producing Easy read and translated materials for general messaging
- Our Lead Nurse for Health Protection is working with the Lead Nurse for Infection Control at MFT to ensure people can access services if Monkeypox is suspected (via Infectious Diseases Unit, Sexual Health Services or A&E)
- Working with Primary Care to develop pathways and escalate issues nationally regarding PPE provision
- Working with our commissioned sexual health services to ensure systems are in place and that they can manage additional service demand
- Joint work between our Population Health Sexual Health Lead, local voluntary organisations, Community Health Protection Team, Environmental Health, Strategic Health Protection team and UKHSA on communications to groups at higher risk and proactive work with venues and large events
- Our Community Health Protection Team Nurses have visited premises with higher risk of transmission to discuss preventative infection control measures
- Our local health protection helpline telephone number is available to support resident with questions and signpost them to relevant services
As of June 20, there were 793 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK, according to the UKHSA. Of these, 18 were in Scotland, 3 were in Northern Ireland, 6 were in Wales and 766 were in England. A total of 80 per cent of England cases were known to be London residents - 498 of 624 with reported home addresses.
For confirmed cases in the UK, where gender information was available, 758 (99 per cent) confirmed cases were male, with five confirmed female cases. The median age of confirmed cases in the UK was 37 years, with an interquartile range of 31 to 43.
The figures for suspected cases reported locally are much lower than the number of cases confirmed by the UKHSA - meaning there may be more cases in these areas. Numbers may be lower because confirmed cases have not also been reported as suspected cases.
In the week ending June 16, there were 46 additional cases of monkeypox detected in England. That brought the total number confirmed in the UK to 574, demonstrating a significant national rise.
Anyone can get monkeypox, particularly if you have had close contact, including sexual contact, with an individual with symptoms. Currently most cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men.
People are advised to contact a sexual health clinic if they have a rash with blisters and has been in close contact, including sexual contact, with someone who has or might have monkeypox (even if they’ve not been tested yet) in the past 3 weeks, or if they've been to West or Central Africa in the past three weeks.
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