The number of Monkeypox cases in Ireland has doubled from two to four just days after the first case was identified in the country.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre explained that the new cases are to be expected given the number of Monkeypox cases in Europe and the UK.
"For each case, Public Health is following up those who had close contact with the case while they were infectious. In order to maintain patient confidentiality, no further information about the cases will be provided," the HPSC has said.
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"Public health risk assessments have been undertaken, and those who were in contact with the cases are being advised on what to do in the event that they become ill."
500 other cases of Monkeypox have been reported across Europe, North America, and many other countries worldwide over recent weeks.
According to the HPSC, the majority of these cases do not have a travel link to a country where monkeypox is endemic.
They also said that the cases in countries where it has been identified "are predominantly, but not exclusively, in men who self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (gbMSM)."
A multidisciplinary Incident Management Team was established by the HSE when the international alert was first raised and commenced activities to prepare for cases in Ireland.
Symptoms of Monkeypox include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
It was first discovered in a colony of monkeys in modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1958 and the first human case was confirmed 12 years later in 1970.
A fever can start within one to three days of contracting the disease. The patient can develop a rash that usually begins on the face then spreads to other parts of the body.
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