A total of seven cases of monkeypox are now said to have been confirmed in the UK according to health bosses.
It comes as four more cases were identified with three in London and one in the North East of England.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced the update on Monday (May 16) as they try and find a link to the four cases which appear to be linked to the Capital.
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Common contacts have been established between individuals who have caught the virus whilst those needing care are being treated in specialist infectious disease units at the Royal Free Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne and Guy’s and St Thomas’.
These cases do not seem to be connected to the previous confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK which were announced on May 14, nor the first UK case announced on May 7, which has led to concerns that there has been transmission of the virus in the community.
As reported by Hull Live, the first case was a person who recently travelled to Nigeria which is where they were believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK.
However the UKHSA have said that all four of the most recent cases self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.
As a result, the health body is therefore asking these groups "to be alert" to possible symptoms, which include rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, and to contact a sexual health service if they have concerns.
Due to the recent rise in case numbers and uncertainties around how some of the individuals acquired their infection, UKHSA has said it is working closely with NHS partners to establish whether there have been any more cases in recent weeks, and international partners to examine whether other countries have seen a similar rise in monkeypox.
The health agency emphasises that the virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the UK population is low.
Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UKHSA said: “This is rare and unusual. UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections because the evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact.
"We are particularly urging men who are gay and bisexual to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service without delay.
“We are contacting any potential close contacts of the cases to provide health information and advice.”
Monkeypox symptoms you should be looking out for
If you get infected with monkeypox, it usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear, the NHS says however symptoms should clear up in two to four weeks.
The symptoms of monkeypox include:
- A rash
- A high temperature
- A headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Swollen glands
- Shivering (chills)
- Exhaustion
A rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms beginning on the face and spreading to other parts of the body.
The rash is sometimes confused with chickenpox. It starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid which eventually form scabs which later fall off.
