Monkeypox FAQs

View details of all confirmed cases via gov.uk.

In 2018, a case of the monkeypox virus was transmitted from a patient to a healthcare worker in the UK. In May and June 2021, 3 monkeypox cases were reported from within the same family; the index case had recent travel history to Nigeria.

Monkeypox can spread if there is close contact between people but the risk of spread of monkeypox to the UK population remains very low.

Monkeypox can be caught from infected wild animals in parts of west and central Africa. It's thought to be spread by rodents, such as rats, mice and squirrels.

You can catch monkeypox from an infected animal if you're bitten or you touch its blood, body fluids, spots, blisters or scabs.

It may also be possible to catch monkeypox by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked thoroughly, or by touching other products from infected animals (such as animal skin or fur).

Monkeypox can spread if there is close contact between people through:

• touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash
  
  
• touching monkeypox skin lesions or scabs, particularly if your own skin has sores or cuts
  
  
• the coughs or sneezes of a person with the monkeypox rash
  
  

If you get infected with monkeypox, it usually takes between 5 and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear.

The first symptoms of monkeypox include:

• a high temperature
• a headache
• muscle aches
• backache
• swollen glands
• shivering (chills)
• exhaustion

A rash usually appears 1 to 5 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 chickenpox. 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 up in 2 to 4 weeks.

The incubation period is the duration/time between contact with the infected person and the time that the first symptoms appear. The incubation period for monkeypox is between 5 and 21 days.

Monkeypox can spread if there is close contact between people

Spread of monkeypox may occur when a person comes into contact with an animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract, or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth).

Person-to-person spread is very uncommon, but may occur through:

• contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) used by an infected person
  
  
• direct contact with monkeypox skin lesions or scabs
  
  
• coughing or sneezing of an individual with a monkeypox rash
  
  

Monkeypox has not previously been described as a sexually transmitted infection, though it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. It can also be passed on through other close contact with a person who has monkeypox or contact with clothing or linens used by a person who has monkeypox.

Treatment for monkeypox is mainly supportive, but newer antivirals may be used.  The illness is usually mild and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment. High quality medical and nursing supportive care will be provided to individuals to manage symptoms.

The disease caused by monkeypox is usually mild and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals and those with underlying conditions such as severe immunosuppression.

The case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically ranged from 0 to 11 % in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around 3–6%*.

There are different strains of monkeypox virus in different parts of Africa. The cases confirmed recently in England have been a strain found in West Africa, which is known to be associated with less severe disease. No fatal cases occurred in an outbreak of monkeypox in the USA in 2003 which came from West Africa. 

* Fatality rate sourced from the World Health Organisation.

This is a rare and unusual situation. UKHSA is rapidly investigating the source of these infections because the evidence suggests that there may be transmission of the monkeypox virus in the community, spread by close contact. Monkeypox remains very rare in the UK and Isle of Man and the risk to the general public remains low.

We are urging anyone who changes sexual partners regularly, or has close contact with individuals that they don't know, to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and contact the GUM sexual health clinic without delay. If there are any local cases, we will be contacting potential close contacts of the cases to provide health information and advice.

Public Health Isle of Man and Manx Care have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed.

We always encourage use of condoms to prevent STIs. Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection by nature, though it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. Contagious lesions, through which infections are most likely to be passed on, can appear on any part of the body so condoms will not necessarily prevent transmission of the virus between two people who are in direct contact. The infection can also be passed on through contact with clothing or linens used by an infected person.

Previous asymptomatic infection has been in those with low-level exposure to infected animals in Africa. Person to person transmission of monkeypox is rare and there is no animal reservoir of infection in the UK for this to occur.

As monkeypox is a high consequence infectious disease (HCID), appropriate PPE should be worn by clinicians undertaking clinical assessment of potential cases.