A healthcare worker who was caring for one of the recent monkeypox cases after his arrival in the UK from Nigeria has been diagnosed with the infection. It appears that strict personal protective measures were not used by those staff members having close contact with the patient prior to the confirmation of the diagnosis. As a result their health was being closely monitored for the maximum duration of the incubation period, 21 days. Read more. More on the current situation regarding monkeypox in Nigeria can be found here.
Advice for travellers
Closely related to the smallpox virus, monkeypox is mainly found in Central and Western Africa. Rodents are the suspected reservoir, with monkeys and humans as secondary or ‘spill-over’ hosts. People can be infected by eating undercooked ‘bushmeat’ or handling infected animals, making infection a low risk for travellers. Read more on monkeypox.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.