Patient with monkeypox treated at London hospital

A CASE of monkeypox has been identified in England, health bosses have said.

The patient recently travelled from Nigeria, which is where they are thought to have contracted the infection. They are receiving care at the expert infectious disease unit at the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, in London.

Experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are monitoring the case and working closely with NHS colleagues to contact people who might have been in close contact with the individual. Dr Colin Brown, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UKHSA, said: “It is important to emphasise that monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the general public is very low.”

He added: “UKHSA and the NHS have well-established and robust infectioncontrol procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease.”

The first UK case of monkeypox was recorded in September 2018. Initial symptoms include fever, aches, swollen lymph nodes, a rash and exhaustion.

Monkeypox does not spread easily and most patients recover within a few weeks, but it can cause severe illness in some people.