Four more cases of monkeypox have been found in England, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven.
Health bosses said three of the cases were detected in London and one was detected in the North East of England. The UK Health Security (UKHSA) is now working to find links between the four cases, which all appear to have been infected in the capital.
Common contacts have been established between two of the four individuals who have caught the virus. Those needing medical care are being treated in specialist infectious disease units at the Royal Free Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne and Guy’s and St Thomas’, officials said.
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Previous cases of monkeypox in the UK were confirmed on May 14, and the first case was announced on May 7, though the four recent cases do not seem to be connected. The first case was a person who had recently travelled to Nigeria, which is where they were believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK.
UKHSA added that all four of the most recent cases self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men. The health body is therefore asking these groups to be 'alert' to possible symptoms.
Symptoms include rashes or lesions on any part of the body, especially genitalia. The rash, which can develop as part of the virus, changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off.
The health agency also said that initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
UKHSA has said it is working closely with NHS partners to establish whether there have been any more cases in recent weeks, and international partners to examine whether other countries have seen a similar rise in monkeypox. The health agency said the virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the UK population is low.
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UKHSA said: "This is rare and unusual. UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections because the evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact.
"We are particularly urging men who are gay and bisexual to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service without delay. We are contacting any potential close contacts of the cases to provide health information and advice."
