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2022 monkeypox outbreak in the United Kingdom
Confirmed cases by countries in the United Kingdom during the 2022 outbreak (as of 28 June)   41-1,185   11-40   1-10
Disease	Monkeypox
Virus strain	Monkeypox virus (West African clade)
Location	United Kingdom
Index case	London
Arrival date	6 May 2022(2 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 2 days ago)
Date	As of 1 July 2022
Confirmed cases	1,235
Deaths	0
Government website
UK Government

The 2022 monkeypox outbreak in the United Kingdom is a part of the outbreak of human monkeypox caused by the West African clade of the monkeypox virus. The United Kingdom was the first country, outside of the endemic African areas, to experience an outbreak. As of 1 July 2022, there were 1,235 confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, with 1,185 in England, 34 in Scotland, 10 in Wales, and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Transmission

A large portion of those infected were believed to have not recently traveled to areas of Africa where monkeypox is normally found, such as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as central and western Africa. It is believed to be transmitted by close contact with sick people, with extra caution for those individuals with lesions on their skin or genitals, along with their bedding and clothing. The CDC has also stated that individuals should avoid contact and consumption of dead animals such as rats, squirrels, monkeys and apes along with wild game or lotions derived from animals in Africa.

In addition to more common symptoms, such as fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or lesions, some patients have also experienced proctitis, an inflammation of the rectum lining. CDC has also warned clinicians to not rule out monkeypox in patients with sexually transmitted infections since there have been reports of co-infections with syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and herpes.

History

The first known case was detected in the beginning of May 2022, in a British resident who had travelled to Lagos and Delta State in Nigeria, in areas where monkeypox is considered to be an endemic disease. The person developed a rash on 29 April while in Nigeria and flew back to the United Kingdom, arriving on 4 May, and presented to hospital later the same day. Monkeypox infection was immediately suspected, and the patient was hospitalised at Guy's Hospital and isolated, then tested positive for the virus on 6 May.

In late May, cases started to be reported in the other constituent countries, with Public Health Scotland reporting its first case on 23 May. Public Health Wales and the Public Health Agency of Northern Ireland each reported one case on 26 May.

On 1 June, a case was reported in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory.

Responses

On 22 May, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said "we're taking it very, very seriously" and that the UK government had already started purchasing smallpox vaccines.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advised people who have had close contact with a person infected with monkeypox to self-isolate for 21 days. Self-isolation is not mandatory.

Furthermore, to combat the continued spread of the outbreak, the UKHSA has offered doses of the Imvanex smallpox vaccine, also effective against monkeypox, to people having had close contact with people confirmed to having been infected.

On 30 May, the four main public health agencies published a consensus statement describing the principles they will put in use, with the aim of limiting community transmission.

Number of cases confirmed in constituent countries

Cases of monkeypox

Constituent country	Case(s)
Northern Ireland	6
Scotland	34
Wales	10
England	1,185
Total	1,235

See also

• 2022 monkeypox outbreak in Canada

References

1. "Monkeypox outbreak: Epidemiological overview as of July 1st".
2. "Monkeypox outbreak: epidemiological overview". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
3. Vargas, Ramon Antonio (7 June 2022). "US raises monkeypox alert level but says risk to public remains low". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
4. "Monkeypox update: Where the outbreak stands now".
5. "Monkeypox – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". World Health Organization. 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
6. ^ "Monkeypox contact tracing extended to Scotland". BBC News. 14 May 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
7. ^ "Monkeypox cases confirmed in England – latest updates". Gov.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
8. "First case of monkeypox confirmed in Scotland". Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
9. "Monkeypox spread continues with first case reported in Wales". Metro. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
10. "Monkeypox: First case identified in NI". BBC News. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
11. "GHA confirms first case of monkeypox in Gibraltar". Gibraltar Chronicle. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
12. "UK Confirms Local Transmission of Monkeypox". Eyewitness News (South Africa). Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
13. Taylor, Chloe (23 May 2022). "People coming into contact with monkeypox are now being advised to quarantine for 3 weeks". Fortune. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
14. "Principles for monkeypox control in the UK: 4 nations consensus statement".

External links

• 2022 monkeypox outbreak
• 2022 disasters in the United Kingdom
• Disease outbreaks in the United Kingdom