Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Sep 16, 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
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×