Suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in Greater Manchester. The findings come as the number of cases of the disease climbs across the UK.
As of the week ending June 12, suspected cases have been reported in Wigan. It is not yet been confirmed whether there have been any suspected cases reported in the other boroughs of Greater Manchester.
Since June 8, GPs and other doctors have been required by law to report any suspected cases of monkeypox they see, and laboratories must also report if the virus is identified in a laboratory sample. This is because monkeypox was added to the list of notifiable diseases by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which includes infectious diseases such as measles, scarlet fever, and whooping cough.
READ MORE: 'Concerned' medics have a plan to deal with Monkeypox if it spreads to Greater Manchester
The figures for suspected cases reported locally are much lower than the number of cases confirmed by the UKHSA - meaning there may be more cases in these areas. Numbers may be lower because confirmed cases have not also been reported as suspected cases.
In the week ending June 16, there were 46 additional cases of monkeypox detected in England, 3 additional cases in Scotland and 1 in Wales. This brings the latest total number confirmed in the UK to 574.
There are currently 550 confirmed cases in England, 16 in Scotland, 2 in Northern Ireland and 6 in Wales. There were 12 cases reported in England the week ending June 12. That was on top of three cases the week before, two cases the week before that, and one case in the week ending May 22.
Where have suspected monkeypox cases been reported
Week ending May 22
Maidstone
Week ending May 29
Northampton
Tamworth
Week ending June 5
Leicester
Newham
Wycombe
Week ending June 12
Bromley
Croydon
Epping Forest
Hammersmith and Fulham
Middlesbrough
Reigate and Banstead
Sheffield
South Tyneside
Sutton
Thurrock UA
Wellingborough
Wigan
As of June 14, the UKHSA had confirmed 524 cases of monkeypox across the UK. There were 504 confirmed cases in England, 13 in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland and five in Wales.
Anyone can get monkeypox, particularly if you have had close contact, including sexual contact, with an individual with symptoms. Currently most cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men.
People are advised to contact a sexual health clinic if they have a rash with blisters and has been in close contact, including sexual contact, with someone who has or might have monkeypox (even if they’ve not been tested yet) in the past 3 weeks, or if they've been to West or Central Africa in the past three weeks.
The UKHSA is working with the NHS and the public health agencies of across the four nations to investigate the monkeypox outbreak in the past few weeks. As part of this it carried out analysis of the cases up to June 8, as well as anonymised detailed interviews with patients to try to understand transmission and to determine how to target interventions.
Of the cases interviewed, 81 per cent were known to be London residents and 99 per cent were male. The median age of confirmed cases in the UK was 38 years old.
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