Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

Find out just how deadly monkeypox is

Find out just how deadly monkeypox is

Health authorities around the world are investigating a recent outbreak of monkeypox, a rare viral disease typically confined to Africa.

The UK alone has had 20 cases since May 6, with a child having reportedly been rushed to the intensive care unit of a London hospital

Cases of the rare infection, which gets its name from a smallpox-style disease found in a monkey colony in 1958, have been discovered in over a dozen countries so far.

But how do you catch monkeypox – and how worried should you be about it?

Here is everything you need to know.


How do you catch monkeypox?


So far, only a small number of people have been diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK and it is not easily passed from human to human.

Colin Brown, director of clinical and emerging infections at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: ‘While investigations remain ongoing to determine the source of infection, it is important to emphasise it does not spread easily between people and requires close personal contact with an infected symptomatic person.’

Monkeypox can be spread through close personal contact


According to the NHS, monkeypox can be spread through:

*  Touching clothing, bedding, or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash

*  Touching monkeypox skin blisters or scabs

*  Coughs or sneezes

Current advice in the UK is that people are highly unlikely to catch monkeypox if they have not recently travelled to the region and have not been in close contact with someone who has the disease.

Anyone who has multiple sexual partners, or who has ‘close contact with individuals that they don’t know’, has been urged to be vigilant about monkeypox.

Anyone who develops monkeypox symptoms are encouraged to contact their GP as soon as possible.


Is monkeypox deadly?


While the disease may resemble smallpox when it comes to symptoms, the disease is far less deadly.

Monkeypox is less dangerous than smallpox, but more so than chickenpox.

Smallpox kills one-third of its victims, while chickenpox kills just 0.009% – or just one in 100,000 cases.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox has a mortality rate of 3-6%.



The most common symptoms are a high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion.

Most of the severe cases are found in children and adults with compromised immune systems.

The vast majority of people will make a full recovery in a matter of weeks without needing hosptialisation.


What are the symptoms of monkeypox?


A rash will usually appear between one to five days after infection - generally beginning on the face before spreading.

The rash is sometimes confused with chickenpox.

It starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid. These blisters eventually form scabs that later fall off.

Between one and 21 days after infection, you may experience the following symptoms:

*  High temperature

*  Headache

*  Muscle aches

*  Backache

*  Swollen glands

*  Shivering

*  Exhaustion

All in all, symptoms can last around two to four weeks.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×