HomeLifestyleHealth & FitnessUK reports a new outbreak of a rare disease called Monkeypox

UK reports a new outbreak of a rare disease called Monkeypox

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The rare virus was detected in North Wales, with Public Health Wales found two members of the same family had developed the illness after one of them caught it while abroad.

Richard Firth, Consultant in Health Protection at Public Health Wales, stated:

Confirmed cases of monkeypox are a rare event in the UK, and the risk to the general public is very low.

We have worked with multi-agency colleagues, following tried and tested protocols and procedures, and identified all close contacts.

Actions have been put in place to minimize the likelihood of further infection.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus and has been reported mainly in central and West African countries.

Monkeypox, in most cases, is a mild condition which will resolve on its own and have no long-term effects on a person’s health.

Most people recover within a few weeks.

Monkeypox

It is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily among humans.

Generally, it is a mild condition that resolves itself and has no long-term impact on a person’s health.

The virus is an orthopoxvirus – meaning it is transmitted to people from wild animals, and can rarely be passed from human to human.

Monkeypox symptoms

Symptoms of monkeypox include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Discharge from the eyes (eyes may appear cloudy or crusty)
  • Swelling in the limbs from enlarged lymph nodes
  • A bumpy or blister-like rash
  • Pets that have monkeypox also may appear to be very tired and may not be eating or drinking

While human-to-human transmission is unlikely, it is possible.

A person can pick up the virus by coming into contact with items used by the infected person or touching them.

Monkeypox is not unheard of in the UK – in December 2019 a person in England was diagnosed with monkeypox and was treated at the specialist high consequence infectious disease centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.

A year before this, in September 2018, three cases of monkeypox were reported in the UK.

Image Credit: Getty

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