Monkeypox outbreak 'probably caused by sex at two raves in Europe', WHO warns
A world health leader has said sex at two raves in Europe could be behind mysterious outbreaks of monkeypox.
Monkeypox is not known as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but can be transmitted through direct contact during sex.
Health officials have said a notable proportion of cases in Britain and Europe involve young men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men.
They have not traveled to Africa, where the disease is endemic and typically spreads through handling infected monkeys.
Professor David Heymann, former head of the WHO's emergency department, said the leading theory was “sexual transmission among gay and bisexual men at two raves in Spain and Belgium,” AP reported.
He said it's one of many hypotheses.
'Not a gay disease'
Experts insist that monkeypox is not a 'gay disease' just because patients with symptoms are men who have sex with men (MSM).
Dr. Ranj Singh, NHS doctor and TV personality, wrote in Attitude magazine: “It is entirely possible that the introduction of the virus into networks of MSM who may have multiple intimate contacts has enabled more rapid spread.
“We have to be careful here because this doesn't mean the MSM are to blame at all.
“And we certainly shouldn't repeat the ridiculously inaccurate hysteria that HIV is a 'gay disease'.”
“It may be that MSM networks have incidentally presented the virus with an ideal storm of conditions in which it can multiply.”
Andrew Lee, professor of public health at the University of Sheffield, said gay and bisexual men have “suffered enormously over the years” from the stigma associated with HIV.
He wrote in the Conversation: “We need to get the message across that monkeypox is not a disease of men who have sex with men.
“It's not about sexuality: people often become infected through close physical contact and it does not have to be sexual in nature.”
He added that outbreaks can also occur among heterogeneous groups, including sports teams or just a circle of friends.
European hotspots
The two events DrHeymann was referring to were a Gay Pride festival in Gran Canaria and a large-scale fetish festival in the port city of Antwerp, Belgium.
Some men have received a diagnosis after seeking help for rashes at sexual health clinics.
The WHO states: “The reason we are currently hearing more reports of monkeypox cases in communities of men who have sex with men may be related to positive health-seeking behavior in this demographic group.”
A rash that resembles chickenpox before turning into blisters and then scabbing is the main symptom of monkeypox.
It appears a few days after flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache and chills.
Dr. Heymann said it is known that monkeypox can spread if there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, “and it appears that sexual contact has now enhanced that transmission.”
BED BLOCK: NHS only has space to treat 50 monkeypox patients – as cases expected to rise
The NHS only has enough space to treat 50 monkeypox patients as the number of cases continues to rise in Britain.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance states that all confirmed cases should be transferred to high consequence infectious disease (HCID) units if they require hospital care.
But it is believed that only 15 beds existed before Covid, with the spread of the virus pushing up capacity.
Now sources say there are only 50 beds and many people will have to quarantine at home MailOnline reported.
Experts say there is 'always a risk of running out of beds', especially if the situation 'deteriorates further'.
It is unclear whether HCID units continued to operate after the pandemic as many centers were closed.
Around 57 Britons are suffering from the disease, with more cases announced yesterday.
Number 10 is 'monitoring' the situation, but travel restrictions are out of the question.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said the number of beds available would depend on the number of cases requiring that level of care.
He said: “The concern is that in the 2018 outbreak the case infected a healthcare worker and that happened while they were changing bed linen because the flakes from their scabs were spreading.
“Patients should be kept in the specialist unit to prevent spread.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS has tried and tested plans to treat sporadic cases of infectious diseases, such as monkeypox, through a network of highly specialized centers providing expert care.
“The NHS is working closely with UKHSA to ensure the small number of people identified are treated in accordance with their guidance.”
But he said the virus is unlikely to be widely transmitted and the outbreak could be traced back to a single infection.
It is entirely possible for someone with the monkeypox rash on their hands or genitals to spread it to someone else through physical touch.
This helped spread the outbreak around the world, in the US and other European countries, Dr Heymann theorized.
Dr. Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA), urged people – especially men who have sex with men – to be alert to symptoms.
She said: “As the virus spreads through close contact, we urge everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have symptoms.
“A notable proportion of recent cases in the UK and Europe have been found in gay and bisexual men, so we especially encourage these men to be alert to the symptoms.”
There are now 56 cases of monkeypox in England, and one in Scotland.
The UKHSA has said the threat to the public remains low.
'Not another Covid'
Although monkeypox has experts concerned, they have reassured that it is “not another Covid”.
He said it does not spread through the air – although it can be transmitted through sneezing and coughing – and that we have vaccines to protect us against it.
Britain is stockpiling vaccines against the virus that will only be given to those deemed at high risk after coming into contact with a case.
The vaccine was designed to combat smallpox, which was declared eradicated in 1980 before being discontinued.
But it is also 85 percent effective against monkeypox, as they are similar viruses from the same family – although the former is milder.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Monday there were no plans for a 'scaled-up' vaccination program in Britain.
It comes after a British tourist staying at a favorite holiday destination in Spain is tested for monkeypox.
The holidaymaker on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura is one of five suspected new cases currently being analyzed, health chiefs in the region said.
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What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral infectious disease.
This specific virus is a rare zoonosis, meaning it is transmitted from an animal to humans.
The species is mainly found in remote parts of Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
In Africa, human infections have been documented through handling infected monkeys, Gambian giant rats and squirrels.
It only spreads between people through close contact.
Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with the skin lesions of an infected person or objects recently contaminated by the patient.
Monkeypox has a mortality rate of between one and ten percent, with most deaths occurring in younger age groups.
The first symptoms include:
- fever
- headache
- muscle strain
- backache
- swollen lymph nodes
- chills
- exhaustion
A painful rash and open sores may then develop, usually starting on the face.
Symptoms typically last 14 to 21 days, with severe cases related to age, level of exposure to the virus, the patient's health and the severity of complications.