New Delhi: The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Wednesday confirmed that a Monkeypox diesis appears to be spreading from person to person in England. The current outbreak is the first time that the virus has been passed from person to person in England where travel links to an endemic country have not been identified.
Since the start of May, 183 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in England, four in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland, and one in Wales – 190 in total.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has given more information on those affected in the current outbreak for the first time.
The outbreak is unusual because not all cases are linked to travel to countries where monkeypox is always present, like west and central Africa. Instead, the virus is being passed from person to person in the UK.
In England, 86% of those infected live in London and only two are women. Most are aged 20 to 49.
The UKHSA said 18% of confirmed cases in England had recently traveled to a number of different countries in Europe, up to three weeks before they developed symptoms.
Kevin Fenton, London’s regional director for public health said that Monkeypox can affect anyone, but many of the most recent diagnoses are in the GBMSM community – many of whom live in or have links to London.
UK health authorities are offering Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine, Imvanex, to contacts of confirmed or suspected cases.
Cases of monkeypox continue to rise outside Africa, mostly in Europe, and scientists are trying to pin down the reasons behind the spread.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization said it had so far received reports of more than 550 confirmed cases of the viral disease from 30 countries outside of Africa.
(Vinayak)