Monkeypox cases Ireland

Confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ireland have now raised to a total of four, while the HPSC continues to monitor the situation.

Recent media reports about the cases linked the virus to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, as a large number were detected among this group. During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. Activists and organisations such as UNAIDS have voiced their concerns about homophobic and racist media reports on the monkeypox cases. In recent weeks, more than 500 monkeypox cases were confirmed in Europe, North America and other parts of the world. If you have symptoms associated with the virus (itchy rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion), please contact your GP or a local sexual health clinic. The HPSC is monitoring all cases and close contacts, while no other information is provided on grounds of patient confidentiality.

Dr Derval Igoe, Chair of the HSE Monkeypox Incident Management Team, said the four cases in Ireland are not linked to travel to West Africa, where it is endemic ...

However, she warned of the "need to be prepared for more cases to come". He said they know where all of the cases have come from, and they do not yet have any evidence of undetected community transmission of the virus in Ireland. There is a need to be prepared for more possible cases of monkeypox in Ireland, according to a senior HSE official.