Health boss calms monkeypox fears

Health bosses are reassuring people in Tayside and Fife over the current monkeypox outbreak in the UK, following Scotland’s first case identified yesterday morning.

Dr Nick Phin, medical and public health science director at Public Health Scotland (PHS), said he is “confident this is not the next Covid”.

He also said the Scottish case is under investigation, but not linked to “patient zero”, the first “travelrelated” case which was identified in England.

This means the patient was most likely infected in the UK.

However, PHS would not confirm the location of the case other than saying the patient is receiving care and treatment in “one of the infectious disease units in Scotland”.

Ninewells Hospital’s Ward 42 is an infectious disease unit. There are also infectious disease units at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital and at Glasgow’s Gartnavel General Hospital.

As of yesterday, confirmed monkeypox cases in the UK have more than doubled to 57, according to the UKHSA.

Dr Phin was keen to outline the differences between the monkeypox outbreak and the Covid pandemic. “This is not Covid 2 for a number of reasons,” he said.

One is the fact there is already a vaccine available to treat monkeypox.

Although smallpox vaccination stopped in 1971, the vaccine Imvanex, used to treat the disease, also works for monkeypox.

Close contacts of an infected person are being offered the vaccine.

“There are a number of striking differences between this and Covid,” Dr Phin explained. “We’ve got a longer incubation period – once someone is exposed, between five and 14 or seven and 21 days. So we have longer to look back at cases.

“We’ve got an effective vaccine and we’ve got effective medication (antivirals). So it is much more straightforward to control.

“And there is not what we understand to be an asymptomatic phase. So, if you’ve got symptoms, that’s when you’re infectious.”

He added that vaccines would not be compulsory or lead to a vaccination programme, as with Covid.

Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever or high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A blister-like rash or a small number of blister-like sores can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, including the genital area.

Dr Phin continued: “The overall risk to the general public is low.

“Anyone with an unusual blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores on any part of their body, including their genital area, should avoid close contact with others and seek medical advice if they have any concerns.”