A second case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the State.
Public health is following up those who had close contact with this case, while the patient was infectious, the HSE said in a statement. It said those who were in contact with both cases are being advised on what to do in the event that they become ill. However the HSE said no further information about either of the two cases would be provided, on confidentiality grounds.
This second case “was not unexpected following the presence of monkeypox cases in the UK and many European countries,” the HSE said.
There have been over 200 two hundred confirmed cases of monkeypox in Europe, North America and many other countries worldwide in recent weeks. The vast majority do not have a travel link to a country where monkeypox is endemic.
It is a rare disease which is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus found among some animal populations in remote parts of Central and West Africa. In the past there have been occasional limited outbreaks in communities and among travellers in those regions.
The current cases being reported are unusual because most do not have a link to travel in those parts of Africa.
There are two types of the disease, the West African monkeypox and Congo Basin monkeypox. It is the milder, West African virus, which is causing the current outbreak internationally.
The disease is spread through close contact, including contact with the skin rash of someone with the virus. Typically, people who closely interact with someone who is infectious are at greater risk. This includes household members, sexual partners and healthcare workers. The risk of spread within the community in general is very low, the HSE has said.
Symptoms of monkeypox include: itchy rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. The rash begins as raised red spots that quickly change into little blisters. It usually develops within one to three days from the beginnings of a fever or other such symptoms, but some people may only have a rash.
Sometimes this can first appear on the face and spreads to the mouth, palms, and soles of the feet. However, following sexual contact, it may be found initially in the anogenital area. In the recent cases internationally rash in the anogenital area was the main symptom.
It goes through different stages before finally forming scabs which later fall off.
There is no medicinal cure for monkeypox, but it is usually a self-limiting illness and most people recover within weeks. However, severe illness can occur in people with weak immune systems, among pregnant women and in very small babies.
Treatment includes managing any pain or itch that occurs, keeping the patient warm, comfortable and relaxed, and making sure they get plenty of fluids. This allows the body’s own defences to fight the infection.
A multidisciplinary incident management team was established by the HSE when the international alert for monkeypox was first raised recently and will continue to actively monitor this evolving international situation.
To assist with Ireland’s response, monkeypox has been made a notifiable disease. This means medical practitioners are required to notify the local public health authorities of monkeypox cases.
