Additional cases of monkeypox confirmed in Scotland

Two additional cases of monkeypox with recent travel history have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases across Scotland to three.

In line with nationally agreed protocols and guidance, the individuals are receiving care and treatment appropriate to their condition. Close contacts of the cases are being identified and provided with health information, advice and, where appropriate, vaccine.

Monkeypox is a viral infection usually found in West and Central Africa. The West African strain that has been recently detected in the UK is generally a mild self-limiting illness, spread by very close contact with someone already infected and with symptoms of monkeypox. Most people recover within a few weeks.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency (external website), Public Health Wales and Northern Ireland HSC Health Protection Agency to monitor and respond to potential and confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK.

Dr Nick Phin, Director of Public Health Science and Medical Director at PHS, explains:

“PHS is working with NHS Boards and wider partners in Scotland and the UK to investigate the source of these infections.

“We have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with such cases of infectious disease and these are being strictly followed.

“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.”

Symptoms

Initial symptoms of monkey pox include fever or high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

A blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores can develop usually 1 to 5 days after other symptoms, often beginning on the face or genital area, and may spread to other parts of the body.

The rash changes and goes through different stages, before finally forming a scab, which typically falls off over the course of a couple of weeks. Individuals are infectious from the point symptoms start until all the scabs fall off. During this time close contact with others must be avoided.

Further information is available on NHS Inform (external website).

The latest case numbers of monkeypox in Scotland can be found on the PHS monkeypox web page.