Monkeypox outbreak ‘shows signs of slowing’ in Britain, health officials say – CBC

U.K. Health Security Agency says it’s still too soon to know if decline will be maintained

Aug 15, 2022

British health officials say the monkeypox outbreak across the country “shows signs of slowing,” but that it’s still too soon to know if the decline will be maintained.

In a statement on Monday, the Health Security Agency said authorities are reporting about 29 new monkeypox infections every day, compared to about 52 cases a day during the last week in June. In July, officials estimated the outbreak was doubling in size about every two weeks. To date, the U.K. has recorded more than 3,000 cases of monkeypox, with more than 70 per cent of cases in London.

The agency also said more than 27,000 people have been immunized with a vaccine designed against smallpox, a related disease.

“These thousands of vaccines, administered by the [National Health Service] to those at highest risk of exposure, should have a significant impact on the transmission of the virus,” the agency said.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/monkeypox-outbreak-britain-canada-1.6551790