First case of monkeypox confirmed in Republic of Ireland

The HSE has said the news is "not unexpected".

The first case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) says it was notified last night that a case of the virus has been confirmed in the east of the country. According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), the person has not been hospitalised. In a statement, it said: "The HPSC was notified last night of a confirmed case of monkeypox in Ireland, in the east of the country. This person has not been hospitalised. "This was not unexpected following the presence of monkeypox cases in the UK and many European countries. "Public Health is following up those who had close contact with the person with monkeypox while they were infectious. In order to maintain patient confidentiality, no further information about this person will be provided. “A suspected case is also being investigated and test results are awaited. A public health risk assessment has been undertaken, and those who were in contact with the person are being advised on what to do in the event that they become ill. “The case in Ireland comes after the reporting of more than two hundred other confirmed cases of monkeypox worldwide over recent weeks, including from the UK (with one case recently reported in Northern Ireland.” Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, a headache, chills, exhaustion, aches and swollen lymph nodes. Most notably, a rash spreads from the face across the body for around five days. Recovery usually takes a few weeks after receiving specialist treatment, and the mortality rate is between 1 and 10 per cent, with young people affected the most