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Australia warns after monkeypox detected in US, UK

BI Desk || BusinessInsider

Published: 15:14, 19 May 2022  
Australia warns after monkeypox detected in US, UK

Photo: Collected

The health authorities in Australia warned about a potential outbreak of monekypox as a deadly strain was detected in the US and the UK.

The British health authorities have recently detected a ‘rare and unusual’ case of men in London who were seemingly ill with the disease and had no history of travelling to African countries, where the disease is prevalent, according to media reports.

Earlier this week, the UK’s Health Security Agency said an investigation was underway to find out how the men had become infected and if they had crossed paths with each other.

Last week, the UK reported three cases of monkeypox, including two people from the same household and the other who had previously travelled to Nigeria.

Chief Medical Adviser for the UK’s Health Security Agency Dr Susan Hopkins said: “The evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact.”

Although monkeypox isn’t known as a sexually transmitted disease, all the men found in London with the smallpox-like disease were either gay or bisexual.

Ms Hopkins warned: "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."

According to the NSW Health website, the rare disease is a mild form of smallpox and causes extremely painful, ugly blisters and rashes over the body.

The African-originated viral disease is highly infectious and spreads through body fluids or close face-to-face contact in breath droplets.

A man in the US also contracted monkeypox, according to STAT News, but it is unknown if the man, who previously travelled to Canada by car from Massachusetts, is linked to the cases in the UK.

His positive results were confirmed by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who have warned the country is likely to see a rise in cases.

Nagad
Walton