Monkeypox

At the time of filming, Monkeypox is largely an unknown disease. The NHS state that Monkeypox is a rare infection that mainly spreads by wild animals in parts of West and Central Africa. The risk of catching it in the UK is very low and it is not common to get infected. You are extremely unlikely to have Monkeypox if you do not have any symptoms and you have not recently travelled to West or Central Africa. While you have not been in close contact with someone who has Monkeypoxox. It is thought to be spread by rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels. The infection is passed on if you are bitten by an infected animal or you touch its spots, blood, body fluid or scabs. It may be possible to catch Monkeypox by eating infected meats that have not been fully cooked or touching other products from infected animals. Getting the infection from another person is uncommon as is not easily transmitted but can be spread by touching clothing, bedding towels, used by someone with Monkeypox rash, touching the skin, blisters or scabs of someone with Monkeypox or encountering the coughs or sneezes of a person with the Monkeypox rash.

To reduce your risk, wash your hands with soap, and water regularly or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser and only eat meats that's been cooked thoroughly. You should not go near, wild or stray animals including dead animals. Do not go near any animals that don't appear to be well. Do not eat or touch meat from wild animals. Do not share bedding or towels with people who are unwell and may have Monkeypox. And finally do not have close contact with people who are unwell or may have the Monkeypox. If you get infected with Monkeypox, it usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear. Symptoms include a high temperature, a headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands shivering and finally exhaustion. A rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms. The rash often begins on the face then spreads to other parts of the body. The rash is sometimes confused with chicken pox. It starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid. These blisters eventually form scabs which later fall off. The symptoms usually clear in two to four weeks and you should contact your doctor or medical professional if you have a rash with blisters and either you have returned from West or Central Africa in the last three weeks or you have been in contact with someone who has Monkeypox in the last three weeks.

Make sure you tell the person you speak to about any recent travel to West Africa or Central Africa. Stay at home and avoid close contact with other people until you have been told what to do. If you are still abroad, try to get medical help where you are as soon as possible. Treatments for Monkeypox aim to relieve the symptoms. The illness is usually mild and most people recover in two to four weeks. You usually need to stay in a specialist hospital, so the infection does not spread to other people and your symptoms can be treated. Most people with Monkeypox recover within a few weeks. For more current information, see the NHS website at NHS.UK/conditions/Monkeypox.