Wales to make monkeypox notifiable disease as 3rd case found

It follows the discovery this week of a third case of the infection in Wales.

Public Health Wales confirmed the patient was "being managed appropriately" and to protect their confidentiality, no further details relating to them would be disclosed.

The confirmation of the most recent case on June 6 follows two earlier reports of monkeypox discoveries, on June 3 and May 26.

Health experts have sought to reassure people about the nature of the virus.

“We are reassuring people that monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people, and the overall risk to the general public is low.  It is usually a mild self-limiting illness, and most people recover within a few weeks.  However, severe illness can occur in some individuals."

“Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.  A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, particularly the hands and feet.  The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off.

More than 300 infections have been reported across Great Britain in recent weeks, with more than 90 per cent found in England.

READ MORE: PPE, isolation, and no sex: Wales unveils plan to control monkeypox spread

Health authorities over the border have today (Wednesday) designated monkeypox as a notifiable disease, meaning all doctors in England are required to notify their local council or local Health Protection Team (HPT) if they suspect a patient has monkeypox.

Laboratories must also notify the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) if the monkeypox virus is identified in a laboratory sample.

The Welsh Government told the Argus it was planning to follow suit and declare monkeypox a notifiable disease in Wales.

People who catch monkeypox are being advised to isolate while they show symptoms of the virus, under Public Health Wales guidance to prevent community spread.