Monkeypox case: health experts are working to trace contacts of patients with the disease in the UK

One person has been diagnosed with monkeypox in England, health bosses have said.

The patient has a recent travel history from Nigeria where he is believed to have contracted the infection before traveling to the UK.

They are now being cared for at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust’s Infectious Diseases Unit in London.

Experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are monitoring the case and are working closely with NHS colleagues to contact people who may have been in close contact with the individual.

dr Colin Brown, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at the UKHSA, said: “It is important to stress that monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the general public is very low.

“We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) to contact those who were in close contact with the case before their infection was confirmed, to assess them where necessary and provide advice.”

“UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious diseases and these are strictly followed.”

The first case of monkeypox in the UK was recorded in September 2018. The individual was also believed to have contracted the infection in Nigeria.

First symptoms are fever, headache, sore muscles, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

A rash can also develop, which usually starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. Eventually a scab forms and falls off.

According to PHE, monkeypox doesn’t spread easily and most patients recover within a few weeks, but it can cause serious illness in some people.

dr Nicholas Price, Director of the NHSEI High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network (Airborne) and Infectious Disease Advisor at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “The patient will be given infection prevention procedures in our specialist isolation unit at St.

“This is a good example of how the National High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network and the UKHSA are working closely together to respond quickly and effectively to these sporadic cases.”