TOP public health expert Professor Devi Sridhar has offered some advice to people feeling concerned about the monkeypox case confirmed in Scotland on Monday.
There had already been 20 cases confirmed in England as of Friday, before Public Health Scotland (PHS) made the announcement days later.
The individual is “being managed and treated in line with nationally agreed protocols and guidance”, according to Dr Nick Phin of PHS.
The organisation revealed no details about the person being treated or their location, but reassured the public that close contacts were being traced and offered support.
With the quick spread of the illness, which is mild in most cases but can be severe, some online speculated that monkeypox could be the next pandemic.
But experts have already reassured people that this is not the same situation as the global Covid crisis.
Professor David Heymann, an expert on infectious diseases at The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said that because monkeypox is not transmitted by air it doesn’t represent the same threat.
“It is transmitted from people who have monkeypox to people who don’t have monkeypox by close physical contact with the sore or with the open sore that is causing the disease,” he explained.
“If there is close contact, physical contact, there is a chance the virus could spread from the lesion on one person to another person and could enter through a break in the skin or through a mucous membrane.
“This virus doesn’t transmit easily. It is a quite rare disease which has now become more common.”
On Monday morning, following the confirmation of Scotland’s first monkeypox case, Professor Sridhar offered up her expertise.
The chair of global public health at Edinburgh University told her followers: “Just a note to those feeling anxious -> this is not a repeat of SARS-CoV-2. It's a different disease and there are strict infection control procedures to respond to cases. We're likely to see more cases in coming days -> tracing & isolation of close contacts important.
"Key advice from health authorities is: 'Anyone with an unusual blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores on any part of their body, including their genital area, should avoid close contact with others and seek medical advice if they have any concerns.'"
Meanwhile in London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson sought to reassure the public.
He told reporters on a visit to a school in south-east London: “It’s basically very rare disease, and so far the consequences don’t seem to be very serious but it’s important that we keep an eye on it and that’s exactly what the new UK Health Security Agency is doing.”
Asked whether there should be quarantine for visitors or the use of the smallpox vaccine, Johnson said: “As things stand the judgment is that it’s rare.
“I think we’re looking very carefully at the circumstances of transmission.
“It hasn’t yet proved, fatal in any case that we know of, certainly not in this country.”
