How to resolve AdBlock issue? Another Monkeypox case in the UK
On Tuesday December 3rd a patient was admitted to a specialist unit at St Thomas' Hospital in central London after Public Health England confirmed a diagnosis of Monkeypox.
It is believed the individual contracted the virus whilst visting Nigeria, which has seen at least four outbreaks of Monkeypox this year. This is the second time the UK has dealt with the virus after 3 cases were treated in the country in September 2018.
Dr Meera Chand, consultant microbiologist at PHE, said people should not be too concerned as the virus does not spread easily and the overall risk to the general public is "very low".
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the virus rarely travels between humans and people tend to be infected through the handling of monkeys, squirrels and rats that carry it.
Dr Chand said: "We are following up with those who have had close contact with the patient to offer advice and to monitor them as necessary.
"PHE and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed to minimise the risk of transmission."