POX ON THE RUN

A YOUNG child in England is in intensive care with monkeypox as global cases of the disease rise to 145 in 12 countries. Most other patients have been adults. Dr Susan Hopkins, the UK Health Security Agency’s chief medical adviser, said: “A notable proportion of recent cases in the UK and Europe have been found in gay and bisexual men so we are particularly encouraging them to be alert to the symptoms and seek help.”

The current strain has a fatality rate of about 1 per cent. The other more serious strain, which has not been found outside Africa, has a fatality rate of 10 per cent.