The current outbreak of monkeypox in the UK has topped 300 cases, official figures reveal, as contacts who have a rash with blisters are asked to contact a sexual health clinic.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 77 more cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the UK, 73 of which are in England and two each in Scotland and Wales. The figures bring the total identified in the UK, as of 5 June, to 302, with 287 in England, 10 in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland and three in Wales.
Typically found in central and west Africa, monkeypox has cropped up in recent months in myriad countries where it is not endemic, including the UK, Australia, France, Canada and Israel.
While it appears the current outbreak involves the west Africa strain of the virus, which is less serious than the Congo strain, the situation has caused concern given both the number of cases involved, and evidence of community spread.
The UKHSA reiterated that, at present, “most cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men”, although the agency stressed that anyone could catch monkeypox, particularly if they have close contact with a symptomatic person.
Last month the United Nations’ Aids agency raised concerns that the LGBTI community could experience stigma as a result of some of the media portrayals of cases that it has called “racist and homophobic”.
Most people shrug off the virus after a few weeks, but monkeypox can pose a greater risk to pregnant people, children and those with weakened immune systems.
Among the symptoms of monkeypox are fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and a rash with blisters. The UKHSA reiterated on Monday that anyone who has developed such a rash and has either returned from west or central Africa or been a close contact of a confirmed or suspected monkeypox case in the past three weeks should contact a sexual health clinic.
However, experts, while concerned, have stressed that the risk for the general public remains low.
“This is not a disease the general public should be worried about,” said Dr Sylvie Briand, the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention chief, on 28 May. “It is not Covid or other diseases that spread fast.”
