Doctors in the UK have recorded the first ever case of monkeypox, a rare disease which can be fatal, and passengers on a flight to Britain from Nigeria this week are being contacted following the discovery.
The rare viral infection was found on Saturday in a Nigerian citizen who is being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London after being diagnosed while staying at a naval base in Cornwall, Public Health England said.
It was gathered that the Nigerian patient – yet to be identified – who is believed to have contracted the infection in Nigeria before travelling to the UK on September 2, was taken to the expert infectious disease unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London on Saturday morning.
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Public Health England also sought to reassure Britons that monkeypox does not spread easily and most patients recover within a few weeks with no lasting effects.
The health agency said:
The patient was staying at a naval base in Cornwall prior to transfer to the expert infectious disease unit at the Royal Free Hospital, London where they are now receiving appropriate care.
The patient is a resident of Nigeria, which is where they are believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK.
As a precautionary measure, PHE experts are working closely with NHS colleagues and will be contacting people who might have been in close contact with the individual to provide information and health advice.
