Health officials said Friday that the monkeypox outbreak continues to grow and urged continued vigilance from those with new or multiple sexual partners.
Data from the UK Health Security Agency showed there were 910 lab-confirmed cases across the whole of the UK as of Thursday, up by 117 cases from the last report on June 21.
Of the England’s confirmed cases of monkeypox, which causes a mild illness in most people, where an address is known, 80 per cent lived in London, according to the data.
Northern Ireland had three confirmed cases according to the latest data, while Scotland had 26 and Wales eight.
Although anyone can catch the virus as it is spread between humans through close contact, most cases in the outbreak have occurred in men who are gay, bisexual, or other men have sex with men, officials stated.
The UKHSA’s Dr Meera Chand said Friday: “If you’ve recently had new or multiple sexual partners, please be vigilant to the symptoms of monkeypox.
“Currently the majority of cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men.
“However, anyone who has had close contact with an individual with symptoms is also at increased risk.”
Earlier this week, officials recommended that men who are at highest risk of getting monkeypox should receive a pre-exposure vaccine.
To date, nearly all of the cases have been among men, with only five confirmed female cases.
Under the recommendations, eligibility would depend on a number of factors, but could include those who have multiple sexual partners.
While monkeypox is not defined as a sexually transmitted infection, evidence indicates transmission is occurring in some sexual networks, said the UKHSA.
Those who suspect they have monkeypox are being advised to avoid contact with others and to ring 111 or a local sexual health clinic for advice, ringing ahead before a visit.
Symptoms can include a high temperature, a headache and muscle aches, and a rash that is often confused for chickenpox, according to the NHS.
“To assist with our contact tracing, we encourage everyone to ensure they exchange contact details with sexual partners, to help us limit further transmission where cases occur,” said Dr Chand.
“We are grateful to all those who have come forward for testing and who help us understand the outbreak through participating in studies and investigations.”
