Cases of the Monkeypox virus are growing in the UK and beyond, with 20 infections confirmed in the UK so far and more expected to be announced on Monday (23 May). More than 80 cases have also been found across Europe, Canada, the US, Israel and now Australia.
The Monkeypox belongs to the same 'family' as the smallpox, which was declared eradicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the 1980s. According to the NHS, the illness is usually mild and most people recover within four weeks.
It can be caught from infected wild animals in parts of west and central Africa. Touching the body fluids or spots of an infected animal, or eating meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked thoroughly are just some of the ways it can be contracted.
