Monkeypox cases in the UK have risen to 1,076, latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show.
Dr Sophia Makki, incident director at UKHSA said: “The monkeypox outbreak in the UK continues to grow, with over a thousand cases now confirmed nationwide.
“We expect cases to continue to rise further in the coming days and weeks.
“If you are attending large events over the summer or having sex with new partners, be alert to any monkeypox symptoms so you can get tested rapidly and help avoid passing the infection on.”
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The director of UKHSA said that currently the majority of cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men. However, she warned anyone who has had close contact with an individual with symptoms is also at increased risk.
She said: “If you are concerned that you may have monkeypox, don’t go to events, meet with friends or have sexual contact.
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“Instead, stay at home and contact 111 or your local sexual health service for advice.
“We are grateful to all the people who have come forward so far for testing and to assist us with our contact tracing.”
More than 40 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease as confirmed cases exceeded 4,300.
Monkeypox, which spreads through close contact and was first found in monkeys, mostly occurs in west and central Africa and rarely spreads elsewhere.
