UK records cases of monkeypox in the community

The cases of monkeypox mentioned above have not been linked to the West Africa region, where the disease originated.

As of May 21, 20 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in the UK. The risk of spreading the disease in the general population is currently extremely low, a health official said. However, people need to be warned about the current situation. Most adults with the disease have relatively mild symptoms.

The first case of monkeypox was detected in the UK on May 7, in a citizen returning from the West African country of Nigeria. The disease is also spreading in Europe and North America.

Regarding monkeypox, the government of the German capital Berlin on May 22 announced that it had recorded two cases in this city, while the Robert Koch Epidemiology Institute (RKI) said that the number of cases of this disease will soon increase in Germany. Currently, the situation of two infections in Berlin is stable, while contact cases are being checked. Genetic sequencing of the infection is underway to determine the origin of the virus from West Africa or Central Africa. According to the RKI, in the coming days it is likely that the number of monkeypox cases will increase in Germany, but it is not a “wave of infection”.

Most cases of monkeypox will recover within a few weeks, the RKI said. Berlin officials say there should be no panic but caution because science does not know much about the disease. German authorities will act quickly to detect and prevent infection.

On the same day, La Libre Belgique newspaper reported that the Belgian Government decided to impose a 21-day quarantine measure for patients with monkeypox. This decision was made after Belgium recorded 3 cases of infection.

The monkeypox virus is transmitted by human contact with monkeys. The mortality rate in this disease is about 10%. Viruses can enter through skin wounds, respiratory tract, eyes, nose or mouth, spread through respiratory droplets or bodily fluids. Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission of monkeypox occurs in close contact.