Monkeypox news – live: Virus cases up to 71 in UK as fifth US state detects disease
The UKHSA has confirmed 14 new monkeypox cases in England bringing the nationwide total to 70.
Despite further cases being detected, the risk to the UK population remains low, the UK Health Security Agency added. As of 23 May, no cases have so far been identified in Wales or Northern Ireland. One infection has been detected in Scotland.
In total, 71 cases of the rare viral infection have been reported across the UK.
It comes as Health officials in Washington state say they have detected a suspected Monkeypox case in a man who recently returned from travelling overseas.
Washington is now the fifth US state to report a confirmed or suspected case of the Monkeypox virus. Officials in King County, which covers Seattle, say the man did not require hospitalisation and is isolating at home.
Meanwhile in France, health authorities have recommended rolling out a monkeypox vaccine programme
Monkeypox latest
14 new cases recorded in England bringing UK total to 71
Washington becomes the fifth US state to detect monkeypox
Sexual activity at raves could be behind current global outbreak, WHO advisor says
Superspreader events likely behind global surge in cases, expert says
UN warns against enabling ‘homophobic and racist’ stereotypes
At least 131 cases of monkeypox outside of Africa, WHO confirms
NEW: Washington becomes fifth US state to report suspected Monkeypox case
15:50 , Thomas Kingsley
Health officials in Washington state say they have detected a suspected Monkeypox case in a man who recently returned from travelling overseas.
Officials in King County, which covers Seattle, say the man did not require hospitalisation and is isolating at home.
Washington is the fifth US state to report a confirmed or suspected case of the Monkeypox virus.
Read the full report below:
Washington becomes fifth US state to report suspected Monkeypox case
BREAKING: 14 new cases identified in England bringing total to 70
15:43 , Thomas Kingsley
A 14 further monkeypox cases have been identified in England, bringing the nationwide total to 70, health officials say.
Despite further cases being detected, the risk to the UK population remains low, the UK Health Security Agency said.
As of 23 May, no cases have so far been identified in Wales or Northern Ireland. One infection has been detected in Scotland.
In total, 71 cases of the rare viral infection have been reported across the UK.
Read the full story below:
ICYMI: World ‘cannot take eye off the ball’ over infectious diseases, Oxford vaccine chief warns
15:30 , Thomas Kingsley
The world cannot take its “eye off the ball” in preparing for the next pandemic, a leading scientist behind the Oxford jab has warned as the latest monkeypox outbreak continues to spread.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, insisted the rise in monkeypox infections “really isn't a Covid-like scenario,” but said it was yet another reminder of the need to invest in pandemic preparedness and vaccine development for infectious diseases.
The failure to do so “really puts the human population at risk,” he told The Independent, adding that future diseases which go on to spread throughout the world could be much more deadly than Covid-19 or monkeypox.
Read the full report from our science correspondent, Sam Lovett:
World ‘cannot take eye off the ball’ over infectious diseases as monkeypox spreads
Watch: Does the UK have monkeypox vaccines?
15:10 , Thomas Kingsley
Germany orders 40,000 vaccine doses as precaution against monkeypox spread
14:50 , Thomas Kingsley
Germany has ordered 40,000 doses of a Bavarian Nordic (BAVA.CO) vaccine to be ready to vaccinate contacts of those infected with monkeypox if an outbreak in Germany becomes more severe, but officials are banking on other precautionary measures for now.
Speaking at a press conference, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Tuesday that measures such as an isolation period of at least 21 days recommended for infected people would suffice for now to contain the outbreak.
"If infections spread further we will want to be prepared for possible ring vaccinations that are not yet recommended at this point but might become necessary," said Mr Lauterbach, referring to the strategy of vaccinating contacts of an infected person.
French health authority recommends targeted monkeypox vaccinations
14:26 , Thomas Kingsley
France's health authority (HAS) said on Tuesday it recommended starting a targeted vaccination campaign to fight monkeypox.
The HAS said it recommended that as soon as a confirmed case of monkeypox has been discovered, a vaccination should be given to adults who have been in contact with the patient and who are considered to be at risk.
Health staff who have been exposed to the patient without individual protection should also receive a jab, the HAS added.
How worried should you be about monkeypox?
14:00 , Thomas Kingsley
Speaking in South Korea, US president Joe Biden was asked how much of a concern the disease was and answered: “It is a concern in that, if it were to spread, it would be consequential… They haven’t told me the level of exposure yet but it is something that everybody should be concerned about.”
Qualifying his answer later, he said: “I just don’t think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with Covid-19.”
In Britain, both Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, and Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, likewise dismissed the idea that its spread should be met with the same degree of concern as the arrival of the coronavirus in spring 2020.
Read the full story below:
How worried should you be about monkeypox?
Watch: WHO doctor explains how monkeypox spread among humans
13:30 , Thomas Kingsley
Moderna testing potential monkeypox vaccines
13:00 , Thomas Kingsley
Moderna Inc is testing potential vaccines against monkeypox in pre-clinical trials as the disease spreads in the United States and Europe.
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday there have been 131 confirmed monkeypox cases and 106 further suspected cases since the first was reported on 7 May outside the countries where it usually spreads.
Moderna did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the monkeypox vaccines.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the government was in the process of releasing doses of a smallpox vaccine Jynneos, made by Bavarian Nordic A/S, for use in monkeypox cases.
Czech Republic detects its first case of monkeypox
12:34 , Thomas Kingsley
The Czech Republic confirmed its first case of monkeypox on Tuesday, the head of the Czech Infectious Medicine Society (SIL) said.
“Today, a case was confirmed by a laboratory,” SIL chairman Pavel Dlouhy told Reuters, confirming a report by news website Seznam Zpravy.
Dlouhy said the patient was being treated at the Central Military Hospital in Prague, but he did not give further details.
Signs and symptoms of Monkeypox: What to look for and how it spreads
12:03 , Thomas Kingsley
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “The main difference between symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy) while smallpox does not.”
The virus can be difficult to diagnose without the aid of laboratory analysis because of its superficial similarity to other afflictions that result in a rash, such as chickenpox, measles, scabies and syphilis.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has traced the sickness to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa and defines it as a viral zoonotic disease – meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans – with the first case recorded in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970.
Read the full explainer here
ICMYI: CDC warns LGBTQ community about ‘greater chance’ of exposure to monkeypox
11:21 , Thomas Kingsley
Anyone can get or spread monkeypox, but a "notable fraction of cases" in the latest global outbreak are happening among gay and bisexual men, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
"Some groups may have a greater chance of exposure right now, but by no means is the current risk of exposure to monkeypox exclusively to the gay and bisexual community in the US," said Dr. John Brooks, chief medical officer for the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. "Anyone, anyone, can develop [and] spread monkeypox infection, but ... many of those affected in the current global outbreak identified as gay and bisexual men."
Unclear if the cases were the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ expert warns
10:49 , Thomas Kingsley
Monkeypox is a usually mild viral infection that is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It spreads chiefly through close contact, and until the recent outbreak has only rarely been seen in other parts of the world. The majority of the recent cases have been reported in Europe.
"We encourage you all to increase the surveillance of monkeypox to see where transmission levels are and understand where it is going," said Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness.
She said it was unclear if the cases were the "tip of the iceberg" or if the peak in transmission has already passed.
Speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Ms Briand reiterated WHO's view that it is unlikely that the virus has mutated but said that transmission may be being driven by a change in human behaviour, particularly as people return to socialising as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted worldwide.
Many, but not all, of the cases have been reported in men who have sex with men, and Briand said it was particularly important to try to prevent sexual transmission.
NEW: Slovenia reports first case of monkeypox
10:23 , Thomas Kingsley
Slovenia on Tuesday reported its first case of monkeypox infection in a traveller who had returned from the Canary Islands in Spain, Slovenian N1 television reported.
The man was reportedly not hospitalised because he was infected by a mild version of the viral disease.
WHO says monkeypox cases now 131
09:50 , Thomas Kingsley
The World Health Organisation has said the monkeypox outbreak is containable.
There have been 131 confirmed monkeypox cases and 106 further suspected cases since the first case was reported on May 7 outside the countries where it usually spreads, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The WHO added that while it remains "containable", the organisation is convening further meetings to support member states with more advice on how to tackle the outbreak.
What countries have reported monkeypox cases so far? All we know amid fears over ‘superspreader’ events
09:31 , Thomas Kingsley
Superspreader events are likely behind the rise in global monkeypox cases, a leading scientist has warned, with infections detected in 15 countries so far.
Austria, Israel and Switzerland and are the latest countries to confirm cases of the rare viral infection. Switzerland and Israel both said they had identified one infected person who had recently travelled abroad, while the latter is investigating other suspected cases.
More than 90 cases have been confirmed in the recent outbreak in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia, according to the World Health Organisation.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of Wellcome, said “we have never seen anything like this before, with such a number of cases” in so many countries.
Read the full story below from our science correspondent, Sam Lovett:
All the countries reporting monkeypox cases amid fears over superspreader events
UN criticises ‘homophobic’ reporting of virus outbreak
09:10 , Thomas Kingsley
The UN has warned against news reports that enable “homophobic” and “racist” stereotypes over the recent monkeypox outbreak, in a call for more sensitive coverage.
Evidence has shown people are most at risk of contracting monkeypox after having close physical contact with someone who has the disease.
This is not limited to the male LGBT+ community, the UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) has said in a statement, citing the World Health Organisation (WHO), adding that some reports of the global outbreak could “reinforce homophobic and racist stereotypes and exacerbate stigma”.
Urging for a rights-based and evidence-based approach from the media, governments and communities, Matthew Kavanagh, a top UNAids official, said “stigma and blame undermine trust and capacity to respond effectively during outbreaks like this one”.
Where is monkeypox in the US?
08:29 , Thomas Kingsley
The United States now has five presumed cases of Monkeypox after patients in Florida and Utah were suspected of contracting the disease.
Health officials in Salt Lake County said on Monday that two adults who had recently returned from international travel were isolating after showing symptoms of the infectious disease.
On Sunday, a “presumptive” case was also detected in a patient in Broward County, Florida.
A New York City patient tested positive for a virus related to the infection on Friday – two days after a man in Massachusetts became the first confirmed case in the country this year.
Read the full story here
Watch: 'Anyone can get it': WHO health official dispels myth around monkeypox as 'gay disease'
08:11 , Thomas Kingsley
World Health Organization official confirms that “anyone can get” the monkeypox virus dispelling the myth of “gay disease”.
WHO expert Andy Seale stressed the importance to remember that monkeypox is not an illness that affects only one community more than others.
Mr Seale suggested that an elevated proportion of UK cases in gay or bisexual men could be due to an increased awareness of sexual health amongst the community.
However, he stressed that the virus could be transmitted to anyone, regardless of the community they belong to.
Watch the full clip below:
‘Anyone can get it’: WHO official dispels myth around monkeypox as ‘gay disease’
NEW: Monkeypox fears hit Canary Islands as British tourist tested for virus on Fuenteventura
07:46 , Thomas Kingsley
A British tourist visiting Fuenteventura in the Canary Islands is feared to have monkeypox. Health chiefs in the holiday isle are currently looking into five suspected cases of the virus.
A spokesman for the Canary Islands’ Health Service said in a short statement: “A suspected case of monkeypox in Fuerteventura corresponds to a British tourist.”
Spain has so far confirmed around 40 cases of monkeypox and said another 67 people are being tested.
How is monkeypox different from chickenpox?
07:20 , Thomas Kingsley
As further cases of monkeypox are announced across the world, concern continues to mount over the spread of the disease.
Many of the symptoms of the illness appear initially similar to chickenpox. However, there are several key differences between the two.
First, the diseases are caused by different viruses. Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus, while chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes shingles.
Read the full story here
‘Covid pandemic fuelling monkeypox fears’
06:55 , Namita Singh
Fears surrounding monkeypox are fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic, a psychiatrist said.
“Everyone has been so intimately intertwined with the pandemic that something new coming on is frightening for a lot of people, and so they just don’t really know what to think,” Dr Sashalee Stewart, the Medical Director of Avance Care Psychiatry, told Queen City News.
“When something new comes along, there is going to be that thought in the back of the mind, ‘What if this is similar to that and if this affects me in that way?”
WHO says no evidence monkeypox virus has mutated
06:40 , Namita Singh
The World Health Organization does not have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, a senior executive at the UN agency said on Monday, noting the infectious disease, that had previously been endemic to west and central Africa, has tended not to change.
Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, told a briefing that mutations tended to be typically lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak.
The apex global health agency also does not believe that the outbreak outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations as measures like good hygiene and safe sexual behaviour will help control its spread.
Richard Pebody, who leads the high-threat pathogen team at WHO Europe, said immediate supplies of vaccines and antivirals are relatively limited.
ICYMI: UN criticises ‘homophobic’ reporting of monkeypox outbreak
06:25 , Namita Singh
The UN has warned against news reports that enable “homophobic” and “racist” stereotypes over the recent monkeypox outbreak, in a call for more sensitive coverage.
Evidence has shown people are most at risk of contracting monkeypox after having close physical contact with someone who has the disease.
This is not limited to the male LGBT+ community, the UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) has said in a statement, citing the World Health Organisation (WHO), adding that some reports of the global outbreak could “reinforce homophobic and racist stereotypes and exacerbate stigma”.
Read the details in this report by Arpan Rai:
Monkeypox: UN criticises ‘homophobic’ reporting of virus outbreak
Monkeypox in the US: Where is the disease and will it spread?
06:08 , Namita Singh
The United States now has five presumed cases of Monkeypox after patients in Florida and Utah were suspected of contracting the disease.
Health officials in Salt Lake County said on Monday that two adults who had recently returned from international travel were isolating after showing symptoms of the infectious disease.
On Sunday, a “presumptive” case was also detected in a patient in Broward County, Florida.
A New York City patient tested positive for a virus related to the infection on Friday – two days after a man in Massachusetts became the first confirmed case in the country this year.
Read the details in this joint report by Gino Spocchia and Rachel Sharp:
Monkeypox outbreak ‘may have been sparked by sex at raves’
05:45 , Namita Singh
Calling the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox in developed countries a “random event”, a leading adviser to the World Health Organisation said it might have been sparked by sexual behaviour at raves.
“We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission,” said Dr David Heymann, chair of the WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential.
That marks a significant departure from the disease’s typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates and outbreaks have not spilled across borders.
‘Keep an eye’ on monkeypox, warns PM
05:18 , Namita Singh
Boris Johnson has said monkeypox is a rare disease but it is important to “keep an eye on it”.
The prime minister told reporters in London: “It’s basically a very rare disease and so far the consequences don’t seem to be very serious, but it’s important that we keep an eye on it and that’s exactly what the new UK Health Security Agency is doing.”
Asked whether there should be a quarantine for visitors or the use of the smallpox vaccine, Mr Johnson said: “As things stand the judgment is that it’s rare.
I think we’re looking very carefully at the circumstances of transmission. It hasn’t yet proved fatal in any case that we know of, certainly not in this country.
Boris Johnson
Meanwhile, Downing Street said there are no plans to hold a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee over monkeypox or to impose any travel bans.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said that while vaccines are being offered to close contacts, there are no plans for an “at scale” vaccination programme.
ICYMI: What are monkeypox symptoms and how does it spread?
05:11 , Namita Singh
Monkeypox, a rare tropical disease spread by wild animals in Africa, has unexpectedly spread abroad this month, posing questions about what precisely it is and how dangerous it might be.
A relatively mild viral infection, the disease has a six-to-16 day incubation period and sees patients first suffer fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, aching muscles and a general listlessness in its opening stages.
Once that passes and the fever breaks, the sufferer will experience a skin eruption, in which a rash spreads across the face, followed by the rest of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
The blemishes evolve from lesions into crusted blisters, which can then take three weeks to heal and disappear. While it would have initially been transmitted to humans by contact with the blood or bodily fluids of contaminated primates, or via intermediary rodents such as tree squirrels and Gambian rats, it is much more likely to be caught from fellow humans.
Because the virus spreads through close contact, we are urging everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have any symptoms.
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UKHSA
Monkeypox symptoms: What to look for and how it spreads
Experts warn against ‘misinformation, stigma and discrimination’ surrounding monkeypox
04:59 , Namita Singh
The WHO has warned against “misinformation, stigma and discrimination” around monkeypox.
Speaking during a question and answer session, Andy Seale, strategic adviser with the WHO’s HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections programme, said: “There are ways that we can work with communities to learn from really decades of experience around tackling stigma and discrimination with HIV. We want to apply that lesson, those lessons learned, to this experience.”
ICYMI: Monkey pox cases in UK rise to 57
04:46 , Namita Singh
The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in the UK has gone up to 57. There are 56 confirmed cases in England, while Scotland reported its first case on Monday, revealed the figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency and Public Health Wales, each said they have had no confirmed cases.
But health officials warned the residents that even though the outbreak is “significant and concerning,” the risk to the UK population remains low.
The government has stocks of the smallpox vaccine which is being offered to very close contacts of those affected.
Those at the highest risk of contracting the disease are being directed to self-isolate at home for 21 days and monitor the symptoms.
‘US health officials releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for monkeypox’
04:35 , Namita Singh
US health officials are in the process of releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for use in monkeypox cases, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday.
The US approved the use of more than 1,000 doses of the vaccine from the national stockpile, said the CDC officials, adding they expect this to ramp up quickly in the coming days.
‘We don’t need to panic,’ public health officials say
04:00 , Josh Marcus
Monkeypox will not cause the same kind of world-shaping disease outbreak as Covid, according to public health officials.
"We have vaccines squirreled away by our government," Blossom Damania, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, told NBC. "I don’t think people need to be alarmed. Monkeypox is a serious disease. We need to respect it and take it seriously, but we don’t need to panic."
There are also two FDA-approved therapeutic drugs for smallpox that will likely treat the rare condition.
LGBTQ+ people ‘notable fraction’ of monkeypox cases, CDC says
03:30 , Josh Marcus
Public health officials are quick to note that people of all identities can catch and spread monkeypox, but they have said that a “notable fraction of cases” during this year’s outbreak are among gay and bisexual men.
"Some groups may have a greater chance of exposure right now, but by no means is the current risk of exposure to monkeypox exclusively to the gay and bisexual community in the US," Dr John Brooks, chief medical officer for the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, said on Monday. "Anyone, anyone, can develop [and] spread monkeypox infection, but ... many of those affected in the current global outbreak identified as gay and bisexual men."
US considered mass vaccinations that could’ve stopped monkeypox
02:45 , Josh Marcus
After the 9/11 attacks, US officials considered immunising the entire population against smallpox, a treatment that would’ve also protected against monkeypox.
However, the decision was ruled out because older smallpox vaccines carry a small risk of severe side effects, meaning mass vaccination campaigns would inevitably put some at risk.
“In the end, it was decided no, because of the negative consequences of vaccinating lots of people,” Bill Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told The New York Times.
“Vaccine side effects are rare,” he added. “But once you start giving it to millions of people, then they will start to add up.”
Washington identifies first likely monkeypox case
02:00 , Josh Marcus
King County, home to seattle, has identified its first likely case of monkeypox, according to state health officials.
The patient was identified as a only man who recently traveled to a country where other cases have been identified.
County health leaders said there’s no suspected health outbreak, and that less than a dozen people had close contact with the man.
The CDC will continue monitoring the situation, along with King County.
A new term for your public health vocabulary: ring vaccination
01:28 , Josh Marcus
When it comes to monkeypox, there are some notable differences with Covid, which make the former much less likely to spread in mass numbers than the latter.
The disease requires prolonged in-person or fluid-to-fluid contact, and can be treated with multiple existing vaccines and therapeutic treatments.
As a result, public health officials are considering “ring vaccination” a likely approach going forward.
Using this methodology, rather than conduct mass vaccination campaigns, doctors will instead be more targetted, giving vaccines to close contacts of confirmed cases until an outbreak is stopped in its tracks.
US will release monkeypox vaccine from national stockpile for ‘high risk’ people
Tuesday 24 May 2022 00:33 , Josh Marcus
As monkeypox cases crop up unexpectedly in countries across the globe, the US is releasing vaccines from the Strategic National Stockpile for “high-risk” patients.
The US has a “good stock” of smallpox vaccines, which are also effective and licensed for treatment against monkeypox, Dr Jennifer McQuiston of the CDC said on Monday.
“I can report that there has been a request for release of the Jynneos vaccine from the National Stockpile for some of the high-risk contacts of some of the early patients, so that is actively happening right now,” she said.
A helpful thread on what we know and don’t know about the monkeypox outbreak
Monday 23 May 2022 23:50 , Josh Marcus
Have a lot of questions about monkeypox? You’re not alone.
As public health officials around the world analyse what to do next about the unexpected outbreak of the rare disease, this thread by University of St Andrews virologist Muge Cevik is a great place to start.
It has detailed analysis of some basic questions on spread, severity, and what’s new about this outbreak.
As the monkeypox virus (MPX) outbreak continues, a lot of data emerging in real-time & being rapidly disseminated (as well as misinformation). I complied the unfolding scientific data (with direct links to papers and threads) on what we (don’t) know so far. #IDTwitter 🧵(1/n)
— Muge Cevik (@mugecevik) May 21, 2022
Authorities tracking 200-plus contacts for Massachusetts monkeypox patient
Monday 23 May 2022 23:09 , Josh Marcus
The only confirmed monkeypox case in the US so far was located in Masachusetts, and officials there are tracking more than 200 people who have come into close contact with the man, according to the CDC on Monday.
Most of those are health care workers involved in treating the individiual through the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health.
The patient, who recently visited Canada, where another cluster has been reported, remains isolated in Massachusetts General Hospital.
So far, cases have been reported in the UK, Spain, and Portugal, far outside the normal range of the condition, which is endemic to parts of Africa.
“The CDC worked really quickly to sequence the virus from the Massachusetts patient and within 48 hours, we had determined that it closely matched the sequence being reported from a Portugal patient,” Jennifer McQuiston of the CDC, told The Boston Herald.
However, officials note the disease doesn’t spread as readily as Covid and shuoldn’t be considered an equivalent concern.
A reminder: There’s already a vaccine for monkeypox!
Monday 23 May 2022 22:34 , Josh Marcus
We shouldn’t be as worried about monkeypox as we are about Covid, according to health officials.
And one reason why is simple: there’s already a vaccine that works against the disease, which is rarely found outside of Africa.
Vaccine makers like Denmark’s Bavarian Nordic A/S are ramping up production of existing smallpox vaccines. They are shown to be highly effective against the rare condition, which is akin to a much less severe version of smallpox.
Two more suspected cases of Monkeypox detected in Utah
Monday 23 May 2022 21:10 , Joe Middleton
Health officials in Utah are investigating two suspected cases of Monkeypox, the fourth US state to report infections.
Two adults who live in the same house in Salt Lake City and recently returned from overseas are showing mild symptoms for the disease, officials said.
Salt Lake Health said the infected pair were isolating and there was not thought to be any risk of exposure to others.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Two more suspected cases of Monkeypox detected in Utah
Monkeypox spreads through 'close physical contact', says WHO health official
Monday 23 May 2022 20:21 , Joe Middleton
First Covid, now monkeypox – will we ever learn?
Monday 23 May 2022 19:52 , Joe Middleton
We need to stop thinking of animals as commodities, and instead as communities with which we share the planet, writes Julia Baines.
Opinion: First Covid, now monkeypox – will we ever learn?
'Anyone can get it': WHO health official dispels myth around monkeypox as 'gay disease'
Monday 23 May 2022 19:15 , Joe Middleton
Monkeypox: UK cases more than double to 56
Monday 23 May 2022 18:58 , Eleanor Sly
Monkeypox cases have more than doubled in the UK as the disease continues to spread globally.
Public health officials have announced a further 36 cases of monkeypox in the UK, up from 20 on Friday. It comes as Scotland health authourities announced on Monday morning a first case had been identified.
In an update on Monday afternoon, Dr Sue Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: “Alongside reports of further cases being identified in other countries globally, we continue to identify additional cases in the UK.
Read more here:
36 new cases of monkey pox found in UK
How worried should you be about monkeypox?
Monday 23 May 2022 18:15 , Eleanor Sly
The monkeypox outbreak that has struck the UK, US and continental Europe over the last week appears to be continuing to spread.
There are now 21 confirmed cases in England, one in Scotland, potentially three in the US and as many as 23 in Portugal and 40 in Spain while France, Germany, Italy and Sweden have all reported first cases.
In all, there have been more than 100 confirmed or suspected infections around the world at this early stage but the public are being reassured.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
How worried should you be about monkeypox?
Monkeypox v chickenpox differences
Monday 23 May 2022 17:56 , Joe Middleton
Many of the symptoms of monkeypox appear initially similar to chickenpox, our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas writes.
However, there are several key differences between the two.
More here:
What is the difference between monkeypox and chickenpox?
Florida health officials investigate third ‘presumptive’ monkeypox case in US
Monday 23 May 2022 17:36 , Joe Middleton
Health officials in Florida are investigating a “presumptive” monkeypox case, the third reported in the United States.
The monkeypox case was reported in Broward County and appears to be linked to international travel, officials said.
Cases of the infectious disease have also been reported in New York City and Massachusetts.
President Joe Biden addressed the growing international outbreak on Sunday, warning “everybody” should be concerned about the spread of monkeypox.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Florida health officials investigate third ‘presumptive’ monkeypox case in US
WHO doctor explains how monkeypox spread among humans
Monday 23 May 2022 17:15 , Joe Middleton
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) records 36 additional cases of monkeypox
Monday 23 May 2022 16:53 , Joe Middleton
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Monday that it had detected 36 additional cases of monkeypox in England.
This takes the total number of confirmed cases since May 7 to 56.
36 new cases of monkey pox found in UK
World ‘cannot take eye off the ball’ over infectious diseases as monkeypox spreads
Monday 23 May 2022 16:47 , Joe Middleton
The world cannot take its “eye off the ball” in preparing for the next pandemic, a leading scientist behind the Oxford jab has warned as the latest monkeypox outbreak continues to spread.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, insisted the rise in monkeypox infections “really isn’t a Covid-like scenario,” but said it was yet another reminder of the need to invest in pandemic preparedness and vaccine development for infectious diseases.
The failure to do so “really puts the human population at risk,” he told The Independent, adding that future diseases which go on to spread throughout the world could be much deadly than Covid-19 or monkeypox.
Our science correspondent Samuel Lovett reports.
World ‘cannot take eye off the ball’ over infectious diseases as monkeypox spreads
No plans to hold Cobra emergency meeting over monkeypox, says No10
Monday 23 May 2022 16:34 , Joe Middleton
Downing Street said there are no plans to hold a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee over monkeypox, or to impose any travel bans.
Asked about travel restrictions from affected countries, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “No, no considerations of that kind. What we’re seeing at the moment is community transmission not linked to travel.”
He said vaccines are being offered to close contacts but no plans for an “at scale” vaccination programme.
“We do have vaccines procured at significant numbers but given the nature of this and how we know it’s spreading, it’s thought to be no clinical requirement for that sort of at scale campaign,” he said.
ICYMI: Education secretary says Sajid Javid has bought Monkeypox vaccine
Monday 23 May 2022 16:13 , Joe Middleton
Germany set to release quarantine guidelines
Monday 23 May 2022 15:59 , Zoe Tidman
Germany’s health minister has expressed concern about monkeypox outbreaks and said the country was due to release quarantine guidelines on Tuesday after reporting three cases.
Karl Lauterbach said that men who have sex with unknown partners were currently a risk group and should be warned about monkeypox “without any stigmatisation”.
ICYMI: Scotland records first confirmed case of monkeypox
Monday 23 May 2022 15:35 , Zoe Tidman
Scotland has recorded its first case of monkeypox, as more UK cases are set to be announced, Liam James reports.
The person infected in Scotland is “being managed and treated in line with nationally agreed protocols and guidance”, according to Dr Nick Phin, a director of Public Health Scotland.
First case of monkeypox detected in Scotland
Latest monkeypox tally around world
Monday 23 May 2022 15:05 , Zoe Tidman
Here is the latest situation around the world:
Asia-Pacific
Australia on 20 May reported its first case in a traveller who recently returned from Britain. Another suspected case was also identified
Europe
Austria confirmed its first case on 22 May
Belgium detected two cases on 20 May
Denmark confirmed its first case on 23 May
France reportedly confirmed a first case in the Paris region on 20 May
Germany has confirmed three cases, with the first registered on 20 May
Italy confirmed two cases in Rome on 20 May, bringing the country’s total to three
The Netherlands reported its first case on 20 May and has since confirmed “several” more patients, without giving an exact number
Portugal reported 14 new confirmed cases on 23 May, bringing the total to 3
Spain confirmed four more cases in the Madrid region on 23 May, raising the total to 34, with another 38 suspected cases in Madrid
Sweden confirmed its first case on 19 May
Switzerland reported its first confirmed case on 21 May
The UK detected 11 new cases in England on 20 May to bring the total there to 20, while Scotland confirmed its first case on 23 May
Middle East
Israel confirmed its first case on 21 May
Americas
Argentina reported its first suspected case on 23 May
Canada confirmed two infections on 19 May, with Quebec authorities saying they were investigating 17 suspected cases
The US has confirmed two cases, the first on 18 May, and a third was suspected on 23 May
Monkeypox v chickenpox differences
Monday 23 May 2022 14:47 , Zoe Tidman
Many of the symptoms of monkeypox appear initially similar to chickenpox, our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas writes.
However, there are several key differences between the two.
More here:
What is the difference between monkeypox and chickenpox?
No cases yet in Northern Ireland
Monday 23 May 2022 14:30 , Zoe Tidman
A multidisciplinary incident management team has been established in Northern Ireland to prepare for any risk to the population from monkeypox.
The Public Health Agency said there are currently no confirmed cases of the virus in the region, but added that it is in regular contact with UK-wide authorities.
PA
LIVE: World Health Organisation answers questions on monkeypox
Monday 23 May 2022 14:25 , Zoe Tidman
Watch here as experts answers questions live on the virus spreading across the world:
LIVE: The WHO responds to questions on monkeypox https://t.co/8RFNPhLavA
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 23, 2022
Where has monkeypox been detected so far?
Monday 23 May 2022 14:22 , Zoe Tidman
Superspreader events are likely behind the rise in global monkeypox cases, a leading scientist has warned, with infections detected in 15 countries so far.
Which nations are affected? Samuel Lovett, our senior news correspondent, takes a look:
All the countries reporting monkeypox cases amid fears over superspreader events
‘Important we keep an eye on monkeypox,’ Boris Johnson says
Monday 23 May 2022 13:54 , Zoe Tidman
Boris Johnson has said the government is looking carefully at the circumstances surrounding the transmission of monkeypox.
“It is basically a very rare disease and so far the consequences don’t seem to be very serious but it is important that we keep an eye on it,” he told reporters.
