The United Kingdom Health Security Agency has said that an individual diagnosed with Monkeypox in London had a travel history from Nigeria.
The patient was admitted to the expert infectious disease unit of Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London.
The Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA Dr. Colin Brown said in a statement on the agency’s website on Sunday, May 8: “UKHSA can confirm an individual has been diagnosed with monkeypox in England.
“The patient has a recent travel history from Nigeria, which is where they are believed to have contracted the infection, before traveling to the UK”.
“Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily between people. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals”.
“The infection can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person; however, there is a very low risk of transmission to the general population”.
“The patient is receiving care at the expert infectious disease unit at the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London”.
“As a precautionary measure, UKHSA experts are working closely with NHS colleagues and will be contacting people who might have been in close contact with the individual to provide information and health advice”.
“This includes contacting a number of passengers who travelled in close proximity to the patient on the same flight to the UK. People without symptoms are not considered infectious but, as a precaution, those who have been in close proximity are being contacted to ensure that if they do become unwell they can be treated quickly. If passengers are not contacted then there is no action they should take”.