Ireland confirms second Monkeypox patient

Another monkeypox patient has been confirmed in Ireland.

The second case of monkeypox is discovered in Ireland.

The HSE announced in a statement Friday night that public health organizations are tracing both individuals' contacts.

Monkeypox was first identified in Ireland last Friday, in the country's eastern region.

Given the virus's prevalence in the UK and several other European countries, the HSE described the incidents as "unsurprising."

"Monkeypox is transferred by direct personal contact, including the skin rashes of people who have it," according to a statement provided by officials. Because they come into intimate contact with someone who is contagious, healthcare practitioners, sexual partners, and household members are all at risk of infection. Nonetheless, there is a very little chance of community spread."

Over the last 24 hours, a total of 71 new cases have been detected in England, increasing the overall number of cases in the UK to 179.

While the sickness is being actively monitored, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it is unlikely to become a pandemic.

The WHO is debating whether the epidemic can be classed as a PHEIC (Potential Public Health Emergency of International Concern). These declarations, like those made in the cases of Covid-19 and Ebola, might assist speed up research and financing for the disease's treatment.

During a press briefing, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, technical leader for monkeypox at the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, said, "I'm afraid the pandemic potential of this monkeypox eruption is unfamiliar but exceedingly improbable."

She went on to claim that at the time, they weren't worried about a global epidemic.

If monkeypox comes out in Ireland, the HSE's top executive has indicated that the health service is prepared.

According to Paul Reid, the Irish government is already considering how to respond to an outbreak.

"All essential professionals have been assembled into an incident management team. In Europe, we're certainly keeping a tight watch on management."

"We've contacted all of our services to promote knowledge of it," he said, adding that "the entire strategy we'll adapt with the public will be well known; build awareness, detect diseases, conduct quick contact tracing, and break the transmission chain."