Close contacts of monkeypox cases to be given vaccines

MONKEYPOX vaccines will be given to close contacts of known cases, a health chief has said, as officials continue to investigate the source of the outbreak.

Two additional cases of monkeypox were identified in the UK on Wednesday, bringing the total to nine, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

One case was reported in north London while another was found in southeast England.

Prof Kevin Fenton, London’s public health regional director, said household contacts, close contacts and health staff who have treated cases are being prioritised for vaccines.

The UK does not have “millions” of doses, as it’s a “very uncommon disease”, he told BBC London Radio earlier this week. But he said the strategy was to “make sure we vaccinate the highest priority people”.

“And as you can imagine they will be household contacts, or close contacts, of people who are infected, the health care workers who took care of those patients to ensure that they are also protected as well,” he said.

“We really want to use the vaccine where it’s going to be most effective.” The UKHSA said there isn’t a specific vaccine for monkeypox, but vaccinia vaccine – used for smallpox – offers some protection.

A spokesman confirmed that some people with higher levels of exposure could be offered the smallpox vaccine, but would not confirm how many doses the UK had in stock or had already administered.

Prof Fenton added that if cases continue to spread “then there are plans to ensure we have more antiviral agents and more vaccines [to] deal with that”.

Antiviral agents can reduce the course of infection “so you have a much milder course of disease” and “getting the treatments early [is] really critical”, he said.

Bavarian Nordic, a Danish vaccine developer, confirmed yesterday it had secured a contract with an undisclosed European country for its smallpox vaccine, Imvanex.

Imvanex is approved for use in Europe for smallpox, but has been used in an off-label capacity in response to monkeypox cases.

The new UK cases may have been caused by community transmission as the individuals affected have no travel links to a country where monkeypox is endemic, UKHSA experts said.

It means there have been nine cases reported since May 6 and recent cases self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.

But the two new cases have no links to the previous six, the agency said.

Prof Fenton explained there are three clusters of cases and authorities are “really trying to raise awareness” among those who could be at risk.

“One is a person who returned from West Africa and may well have contracted the infection while they were there,” he said.