Monkeypox appears to be spreading in the UK. UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) head Susan Hopkins told the BBC she was seeing new cases every day. Hopkins declined to give more precise numbers. Her authority will publish new numbers tomorrow, she announced. So far, 20 cases are known from Britain.
“We are discovering more cases every day and I want to thank all the people who are reaching out to sexual health clinics, general practitioners and emergency rooms for testing,” Hopkins said. The virus is mainly transmitted in urban areas, with no cases showing a connection to West or Central Africa, where the infection is otherwise observed.
Vaccination with smallpox vaccine
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), gay and bisexual men are predominantly, if not exclusively, affected. “We encourage anyone who regularly switches sex partners or is in close contact with people they don’t know to talk if they develop a rash,” Hopkins said.
Those infected can be vaccinated with a smallpox vaccine, said the head of the UKHSA. “We use it in individuals who we believe are at high risk of developing symptoms,” Hopkins said. “We use it early, especially within four or five days after symptoms develop.” This avoids the risk of illness in contact persons.