One person in the United Kingdom has been diagnosed with the rare viral disease “monkeypox.”
The person, according to reports recently travelled to Nigeria and is suspected of being infected with the virus, which can be passed on to humans by infected animals such as rodents.
According to Dr Nicholas Price, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, the patient is being treated in a specialist isolation unit at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital by expert clinical staff following strict infection prevention procedures.
UKHSA experts said they are working closely with England’s state-funded National Health Service to provide information and health advice to people who may have had close contact with the individual as a precautionary measure. This includes contacting several passengers who were on the same flight as the patient to the United Kingdom.