A new case of monkeypox has been diagnosed in England just over a year after the UK saw its first cases ever.
Public Health England (PHE) believes the latest patient
The person was staying in south-west England before they were transferred to the specialist high consequence infectious disease centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London.
PHE has assured people that the risk to the general public in England is "very low".
This is the fourth case reported in the UK in 16 months.
Three people were diagnosed in September 2018 - two who visited Nigeria and an NHS worker who cared for one of those patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
The first victim - a Nigerian national - was staying on a naval base in Cornwall when they fell ill last year.
The second patient went to the hospital in Blackpool after suffering symptoms. There were no links between those victims.
The Blackpool hospital worker was a 40-year-old healthcare assistant.
The World Health Organisation has the main facts about monkeypox, but we've broken down some key questions below.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that can be transmitted to humans from animals.
It's predominantly found in remote parts of central and west Africa, near tropical rainforests.
In Africa human infections have been documented through the handling of infected monkeys, Gambian giant rats and squirrels, with rodents being the most likely reservoir of the virus. Eating inadequately cooked meat of infected animals is a possible risk factor.
The causative agent (monkeypox virus) is a double-stranded DNA virus from the family Poxviridae and the genus Orthopoxvirus.
Monkeypox symptoms
Symptoms initially include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
A rash may develop on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.
It may first be seen on the middle of the body, then later it spreads to the arms, legs, and head.
Rashes may start as a blister or a raised bump filled with pus and later get crusty, scab over, and fall off.
Why is it called monkeypox?
The disease got its name because it was first found in 1958 in laboratory primates.
Blood screening of animals in Africa later found that other types of animals also had monkeypox. In 1970 the first case was reported in humans.
Is monkeypox contagious?
The virus does not spread easily between people.
The infection can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person; however there is a very low risk of transmission to the general population.
The incubation period is usually from 6 to 16 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.
How is it spread to humans?
- Bite or scratch from an infected rodent, squirrel, or prairie dog.
- Direct contact with skin sores, blood, or body fluids of an infected person or animal.
- Direct contact with bedding or other items used by an infected person or animal.
- Breathing in air contaminated with the germs after an infected person coughed or sneezed.
Can it be fatal?
Monkeypox infection is usually a mild illness and most people recover within several weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals.
But in some cases it can be fatal.
How is Monkeypox diagnosed?
- Blood tests are used to check for the virus.
- A biopsy is used to take a sample, which is then tested. Samples of skin, fluid from the blisters, or crust from the sores are taken.
- A throat swab culture is used to take a sample from your throat.
What is the treatment?
You may be given medicine to treat fever or pain, but there are no specific treatments or vaccines available for monkeypox infection, but outbreaks can be controlled.
A smallpox vaccination may be given to help your body fight the virus.
You may need immune globulins or antiviral medicines if your symptoms are severe.
Doctors will advise sufferers to stay at home so the virus does not spread.
