More than 60 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in Scotland in the past two months, according to the latest figures.
The number of people confirmed to have the condition rose by two last week to 61 since the initial outbreak of the virus.
The vast majority of the 2,546 cases of the condition are in England, with rates particularly spiking among adults known to be gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men.
Public Health Scotland (PHS) reported the recent rise in the latest data disclosure on Thursday.
It comes after the World Health Organisation designated the outbreak a “global emergency”.
The PHS report read: “The majority of cases are adults known to be gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men and report recent European travel within 21 days of symptom onset.
“Investigations continue but currently no single factor or exposure that links the cases has been identified.”
The strain present in the UK is described as “mild self-limiting illness, spread by very close contact with someone already infected and with symptoms.”
Recovery time for those infected is generally around two weeks.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include a blister-like rash or small number of blister-like sores can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, including the genital area.
They may also include:
- fever or high temperature
- headache
- muscle aches
- backache
- swollen lymph nodes
- chills
- exhaustion
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