Scots alert over new killer virus
Three quarantined amid fears of deadly outbreak
HEALTH chiefs have placed three people in Scotland under strict quarantine amid fears they may have caught the rare and deadly monkeypox virus.
The patients have been confined to their home after a person they came into contact with in London was confirmed as having the killer bug after arriving in the UK from Nigeria.
It is thought the trio flew from England to Glasgow without realising the person – who is now being treated at an infectious diseases unit in London – was infected.
Although human-to-human transmission of the virus is rare, officials are trying to track down anyone who has been in close contact with the stricken patient.
THREE people have been placed under strict quarantine in Scotland over fears they may have the rare and deadly monkeypox virus.
The patients are being kept secluded at home after a close contact in London was confirmed as having the disease.
They were in contact with the individual who was diagnosed this week and is thought to have caught the infection in Nigeria.
The patient is receiving specialist care in a hospital in London.
There is an outbreak of monkeypox in Africa, where the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed circulation of the disease, with 558 cases and eight deaths.
Monkeypox is mainly spread by wild animals in West Africa.
Although human-to-human transmission is rare, as a precaution health officials are working across the UK to trace people who have been in close
‘Patient’s contacts are being traced’
contact with the patient. It is thought the three close contacts flew from England to Glasgow without knowing about the infection.
Last night a spokesman for Public Health Scotland said: ‘We are liaising with the UK Health Security Agency [UKHSA] over the contact tracing of a small number of individuals related to the monkeypox case identified in England.
‘This is a standard and precautionary exercise and the risk to the general public remains very low.’
‘Patient zero’ had recently arrived in the UK from Nigeria. Monkeypox is endemic in the African country.
That figure is likely to be an under-representation because many people have been avoiding healthcare facilities for fear of contracting Covid.
Medics are treating the patient at the infectious diseases unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London.
Dr Colin Brown, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UKHSA, said: ‘Monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk is very low.
‘We are working to contact the individuals who have had close contact with the case prior to confirmation of their infection, to assess them as necessary and provide advice.
‘UKHSA and the NHS have well-established infection control procedures.’
Up to one in ten monkeypox cases can be fatal, according to the World Health Organisation.
Britain’s first case of the illness was in 2018, when the person was also believed to have been to Nigeria. Symptoms include fever, aching muscles, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
A rash can also develop, usually on the face before spreading across the body, which forms a scab before falling off.
Monkeypox can easily be confused with illnesses such as smallpox, chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis and medicationassociated allergies.
This means a laboratory test is needed for a definitive diagnosis.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus transmitted from animals to humans and has been reported in many mammals.
Primary infection is through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids or lesions of an infected animal.
Eating inadequately cooked meat of infected animals is also a risk factor.
Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with infected respiratory tract secretions, skin lesions or objects recently contaminated by the patient.
Last year three cases were confirmed in Wales. One of the patients had visited Nigeria.