The number of monkeypox cases in the UK has more than doubled, it has been confirmed.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that another 11 cases of the disease had been detected in the country by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) taking the total number of cases to 20. In a tweet, Mr Javid said he has given an update to G7 health ministers about the situation.
He said: "UKHSA have confirmed 11 new cases of monkeypox in the UK. This morning I updated G7 Health Ministers on what we know so far. Most cases are mild, and I can confirm we have procured further doses of vaccines that are effective against Monkeypox."
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Some stocks of the smallpox vaccine - which is effective against monkeypox - are available to the Government. The virus is most commonly found in West Africa and rarely spreads elsewhere, which is why outbreaks in the UK, other parts of Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada have caused alarm.
The disease, which was first discovered in monkeys, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off.
The incubation period of monkeypox is usually from six to 13 days but can range from five to 21 days. The cases in the UK are not all one cluster, with separate cases springing up that are unconnected.
The first case identified was in a person who had returned from Nigeria but other cases are unrelated to travel, suggesting there is community transmission. Several cases have been confirmed in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who have attended sexual health services.
Monkeypox is not normally a sexually-transmitted infection, but it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. It can also be spread through touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash, and through the coughs and sneezes of somebody with the infection.
