Mpox (previously known as monkeypox) cases in London are under control, but an outbreak could occur again, an expert in infectious disease has warned.
Dr Jake Dunning, a leading consultant in infectious disease at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, encouraged everyone who is eligible to get an Mpox vaccine to prevent future outbreaks.
Camden’s Royal Free Hospital led the way nationally in responding to the UK’s outbreak of the disease over the summer.
The hospital quickly set aside nine isolation rooms when it was clear that infections across London were rising rapidly.
Although the disease was first identified in the UK in 2018, the first cases in England relating to the outbreak were reported at the start of May 2022, with cases peaking in July 2022.
The UK Health Security Agency quickly identified that the majority of cases related to gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and allocated resources accordingly.
Dr Dunning said that by October the initial outbreak was under control.
He said: “There hadn’t been any new cases in the UK in the last three weeks of December.
“But the concern is that if you just have low-level infection bubbling along then the outbreak could reignite again.
“So, we’re encouraging everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine.”
Dr Dunning praised the UK’s vaccination programme and staff at the Royal Free Hospital, as well as the work of members of the LGBTQ+ community, in containing the initial outbreak.
He said: “Personally, having worked previously in public health, I thought that the vaccine rollout was remarkably quick.
“Interestingly, not only in the UK, but in other countries in Europe too, the curve of cases started to come down before vaccination campaigns started to ramp up.
“There’s some thought that it’s due to those at risk – GBMSM – changing their behaviours to protect themselves as individuals, but also as a group of people.”
He added: “I’m really proud of the work that the doctors and nurses [at the Royal Free] did in maintaining the response over many months.
“We then developed this much bigger clinical network with other infectious disease hospitals that I think will serve as a model for the future, so that we’ve got that surge capacity when we need it.”
To find out if you are eligible for an mpox vaccine or to find a vaccination site visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/monkeypox/find-a-monkeypox-vaccination-site/.
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