Monkeypox infections: Majority of UK cases found in gay and bisexual men

Acccording to the World Health Organization, more than two dozen countries that haven't previously identified monkeypox cases reported 780 cases, a more than 200% jump in cases since late May. 

London: British health officials have so far reported more than 300 monkeypox cases, including 77 infections on Monday, across the country. Beyond Africa, the UK Has the biggest identified outbreak of the disease, with the vast majority of infections in gay and bisexual men, according to an AP report. Health officials have issued a warning that anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, is potentially at risk of catching the disease if they are in close contact with a patient, their clothing or their bed sheets, said the report.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday said that more than two dozen countries that haven't previously identified monkeypox cases reported 780 cases, a more than 200% jump in cases since late May. No monkeypox deaths outside of Africa have yet been identified. The UN Health agency said most cases in Europe and elsewhere have been spotted in sexual health clinics and "have involved mainly, but not exclusively, men who have sex with men."

There have been more than 1,400 monkeypox cases and 63 deaths this year so far in four countries where the disease is endemic- Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo and Nigeria, said the AP report citing the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genetic sequencing of the virus hasn't yet shown any direct link to the outbreak outside Africa.

WHO said the sudden and unexpected detection of monkeypox in numerous countries "suggests that there might have been undetected transmission for some unknown duration of time followed by recent amplifier events." Last month, a leading adviser to WHO reportedly said that the outbreak in Europe and beyond was likely spread by sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium.

WHO estimated the risk posed by monkeypox to global health was 'moderate,' saying this was the first time that so many cases and clusters were reported across the world. Until last month, the disease had not been known to cause large epidemics beyond central and west Africa, where it has mostly affected people in rural areas who come into close contact with infected wild animals.