London:
Another 104 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in Britain, taking the national count to 470, the Health Security Agency (HSA) said.
The HSA has urged people in Britain to contact a sexual health clinic if they have a rash with blisters, and if in the past three weeks they have been in close contact, including sexual contact, with someone who has or might have monkeypox (even if they’ve not been tested yet), or have been to West or Central Africa, reports Xinhua news agency.
“Anyone can get monkeypox, particularly if you have had close contact, including sexual contact, with an individual with symptoms,” it said.
Of the 470 cases, 452 were reported in England, 12 in Scotland, 4 in Wales and 2 in Northern Ireland, according to the HSA.
Currently, most cases have been detected in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men, the HSA said.
On June 8, a new law declaring monkeypox as a legally notifiable disease came into force across Britain, meaning all doctors in England are required to notify their local council or local Health Protection Team about any suspected cases.
As of Wednesday, 35 countries have reported a total of 1,678 cases. IANS