Monkeypox: No cases recorded in Northern Ireland and health officials say risk 'low'

Health officials in Northern Ireland are preparing for potential cases of the tropical virus Monkeypox.

More than 50 cases have been detected in the UK, with one confirmed in Scotland this morning.

No cases have been detected yet in Northern Ireland.

However, it has been warned that cases are likely to emerge here.

The Public Health Agency has moved to allay concerns about the virus.

Dr Gillian Armstrong, Head of Health Protection at the PHA in Northern Ireland, said: “Monkeypox is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks.

“The infection can be passed on through close contact with someone with the infection, or contact with clothing or linens used by a person who has monkeypox.

“However, the virus does not usually spread easily between people and the risk to the Northern Ireland population is considered low.”

The rare virus has been seen around the world in recent weeks which is unusual. 

Queen’s University Virologist, Dr Connor Bamford, said he would be surprised if no cases were eventually recorded here.

“I really hope we don’t see it but I wouldn’t be surprised if we did,” he said.

The small pox vaccine is believed to be effective against the virus. However, supplies are low.

Dr Bamford said action will have to be taken to prevent widespread community transmission 

“We don’t tend to have a lot of that vaccine so at the minute we are not going to rely on that to control any outbreaks of the virus.

"We need to control it using traditional means. We need to figure out what is a bit different with this outbreak and can we control it in parts of the world outside of our shores.

"The second thing is we need to be able to do is to track this virus as it spreads,” he said.

Dr Bamford added: “Also, for those people affected they need to practice really good hygiene and isolation. We know these things worked for covid and they will work even better for this virus.”

However, Dr Bamford said that “people are fatigued and don’t want to go back to those things. So on the flip side people might be less willing to get on board with these public health messages.”

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