By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews
In 2018, health officials in England reported three monkeypox cases– two imported cases in travelers from Nigeria and one in a healthcare worker.
Today, health officials again report a monkeypox case in the country. According to Public Health England (PHE), the patient is believed to have contracted the infection while visiting Nigeria.
The patient was staying in the south west England prior to transfer to the specialist high consequence infectious disease centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, where they are receiving appropriate care.
As a precautionary measure, PHE experts are working closely with NHS colleagues to implement rapid infection control procedures, including contacting people who might have been in close contact with the individual to provide information and health advice.
Got Smallpox? T-shirts and merchandise
This includes contacting passengers who travelled in close proximity to the patient on the same flight to the UK. If passengers are not contacted, then there is no action they should take.
Dr Meera Chand, Consultant Microbiologist at Public Health England, said:
Monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the general public is very low. 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.
