A case of monkeypox, a rare infectious disease normally found in Central Africa, has been confirmed at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, but authorities are reassuring the public that it’s not easily spread between people.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed the case on Sunday May 8, saying that the patient, who had recently travelled to Nigeria, was receiving treatment at a specialist isolation unit.
The disease was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958 and is spread through animals’ bites, scratches and bodily fluids, and can cause rashes, fever and muscle aches.
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 England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) 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.”
Most people recover from monkeypox within a few weeks but cases can cause permanent vision loss and sometimes death.
The rash normally begins on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. It then forms a scab which falls off.
The disease is most prevalent in Central and West Africa and the first human cases were identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970.
In June 2021, the World Health Organization reported that only six cases had ever been confirmed in the UK.
In 2003, there was an outbreak of the virus in the USA which infected 47 people, with the origin being traced to a shipment of small mammals imported from Ghana.