How to spot if you’ve got monkeypox

CONFIRMED monkeypox cases are on the rise, with one patient being treated in hospital in Scotland.

Dr Nick Phin, medical and public health science director at Public Health Scotland, said the smallpox vaccine is being offered to very close contacts of those affected.

There are 71 cases in the UK, an increase from 20 last week, though health officials say the risk to the UK population remains low. Those at the highest risk of contracting it are being asked to self-isolate at home for 21 days, with others warned to be on the lookout for symptoms.

BBC Breakfast’s GP Dr Nighat Arif said this coincides with a rise in other viruses.

“We’re seeing an increase in cases of chickenpox now we’re out of lockdown and people don’t want to isolate anymore,” she said.

So, how can you tell the difference between monkeypox and chickenpox?

The two are caused by different viruses – monkeypox comes from the smallpox virus, whereas chickenpox comes from the varicella zoster virus Monkeypox symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen glands, chills and exhaustion. Within five days of the first symptoms, a rash will develop.

The rash goes through several stages. At first, it might look like raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid. They will then form scabs that will later fall off. Symptoms can last from two to four weeks, and the virus can be spread through skin-to-skin contact.

Chickenpox symptoms include a high temperature, aches and pains, difficulty eating or loss of appetite, and an itchy rash. The rash tends to blister and dry up, creating similar scabs to that of monkeypox.

However, Dr Arif said you should be able to tell the difference between the two.

She said you may find “temperature will be higher with monkeypox, and the patient may complain of backache, lower leg aches, chills, and very tender glands around their neck. The blisters are bigger [with monkeypox]. And the chances of them having it are very slim if they haven’t travelled or been in close contact with someone who has.”

When treating both monkeypox and chickenpox, Dr Arif said: “The incubation period is really important. Isolate until the last blister crusts for chickenpox, but make sure to take three weeks for monkeypox.

“If your child has chickenpox, please don’t let them into school – isolate them and be careful. Monkeypox may make you feel awful when you have it, but [for many people] it is a self-limiting virus and you will feel fine after. However, if you are vulnerable, both can be really dangerous.

“With chickenpox children may get it mildly and then get on with it. But, as with any virus, it’s the individuals they come into contact with that may have issues,” she added.

“Adults who haven’t had it, and those who are pregnant or immunosuppressed will have the worst response to the pox.”