Contacts of patients infected with monkeypox are being asked to isolate for three weeks, according to guidance from the UK Health Security Agency. They will also be instructed to ‘avoid contact with immunosuppressed people, pregnant women, and children under 12’. In England, there have been just 20 confirmed cases so far but community spread has concerned scientists. Scotland reported its first case this morning.
At least 109 cases have been confirmed globally, with Spain seeing the highest prevalence. A large proportion of cases have been reported among gay and bisexual men though monkeypox is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease. One theory under investigation is that a Pride event in Gran Canaria may have acted as a super-spreader event. This would explain the high prevalence among gay and bisexual men despite scientists’ assertions that they don’t have an inherently increased risk of catching it.
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