A monkeypox case has been confirmed in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has revealed. The patient recently travelled to Nigeria, which is where they are believed to have contracted the infection.
The patient is now receiving expert care at the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said the UKHSA.
Anybody that might’ve been in contact with the patient will be contacted by the NHS.
Dr Colin Brown, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA said: “It is important to emphasise that monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the general public is very low.
“We are working with NHS EI to contact the individuals who have had close contact with the case prior to confirmation of their infection, to assess them as necessary and provide advice.
“UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed.”
Monkeypox symptoms
There are seven initial symptoms of monkeypox to look out for, according to the UKHSA.
The most common signs include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
As the infection progresses, patients might develop a characteristic rash.
The rash will likely change on a regular basis, before eventually forming a scab and falling off.
But, during its early phases, it may be easily mistaken for flu or a cold.
The disease, which is similar to smallpox, is usually found in central and western Africa.
There is a very low risk of spreading the infection to other people, the UKHSA said.
It’s a mild self-limiting illness, and most people recover after just a few weeks.
But, in some cases, it can lead to severe illness, it warned.
About one in 10 people die from monkeypox after infection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO said: “Infection of index cases results from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals.
“Eating inadequately cooked meat and other animal products of infected animals is a possible risk factor.
“Secondary, or human-to-human, transmission is relatively limited. Infection can result from close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or recently contaminated objects.
“Transmission via droplet respiratory particles usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact, which puts health workers and household members of active cases at greater risk.”