CASES of monkeypox have increased by 11 per cent in the UK as the bug continues to spread.
As of July 11, 1,735 infections have been discovered, with London being the worst hit area.
This is up from 1,552 cases reported on Friday after levels increased by 14 per cent in just three days.
England has 1,660 infections, Northern Ireland – 12, Scotland – 44 and Wales 19.
The capital has 1,229 cases, followed by the South East with 129 and the North West with 98.
In the East of England, 68 infections have been recorded, 36 in the West Midlands, 25 in the South West, 22 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 19 in the East Midlands and 18 in the North East.
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There are still 16 cases under investigation which had not yet been assigned a region.
In the US, 866 cases have been recorded, with California, New York and Illinois having the majority of infections.
Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) last week said that the rise in cases was 'concerning'.
She urged the public to do all they could to stop the spread.
“If you’ve recently had new or multiple sexual partners, please be vigilant to the symptoms of monkeypox, and be aware that many of the cases we’re seeing are finding only a single, or few, lesions.
“If you are concerned that you may have monkeypox, take a break from events, meeting with friends or having sexual contact.
“Instead, stay at home and contact 111 or your local sexual health service for advice. Please contact the clinic ahead of your visit and avoid close contact with others until you’ve been reviewed by a clinician.
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“To assist with our contact tracing, we encourage everyone to ensure they exchange contact details with sexual partners.
“If you are called forward for vaccination, we strongly recommend that you take it.”
The 11 signs of monkeypox you need to know
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency have said all Brits should be on the look out for key signs and symptoms.
The signs may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- Night sweats
- Cold-like symptoms, such as congestion and runny nose
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swollen groin
- Rash
Medics said that complications of the illness were documented as:
- low mood
- severe pain
- conjunctivitis
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