LONDON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Another 104 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in England, taking the national count to 470, the Health Security Agency said Monday in a statement.
The agency told people in Britain to contact a sexual health clinic if they have a rash with blisters, and if in the past three weeks they have been in close contact, including sexual contact, with someone who has or might have monkeypox (even if they've not been tested yet), or have been to West or Central Africa.
"Anyone can get monkeypox, particularly if you have had close contact, including sexual contact, with an individual with symptoms," it said.
As of Sunday, there were currently 452 confirmed cases in England, 12 in Scotland, 4 in Wales and 2 in Northern Ireland, according to the statement.
Currently, most cases have been detected in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men, the agency said.
The agency's updates highlighted the risks of the disease being spread, Paul Hunter, professor of medicine with the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia, told Xinhua Saturday.
"Transmission of monkeypox seems to be almost exclusively being transmitted by close and intimate contact. So people should avoid contact with people who could be infected, especially if they have a rash," he said.
Hunter said he backed medical experts in the United States who warned that wearing a mask would have a negligible effect on monkeypox transmission.
On June 8, a new law declaring monkeypox as a legally notifiable disease came into force across Britain, meaning all doctors in England are required to notify their local council or local Health Protection Team about any suspected monkeypox cases. ■