At least 85 confirmed cases have been identified in eight EU countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, between 15 and 23 May
A large proportion of cases has been identified in the gay, bisexual and men who have sex with other men community.
Callum Semple, professor of outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool, told Sky News:"It's previously been the case that the virus has moved from animals to humans and contaminated implements and foodstuffs, mainly in Africa. It looks like the virus has found a particular niche, exploiting features of human behaviour, and that's allowed it to become established in this group of people.
The centre warned that if human-to-animal transmission occurs, and the virus spreads in an animal population, there is a risk the disease could become endemic in Europe. The UK government has ordered in several thousand doses of the smallpox vaccine, understood to be about 85% effective against monkeypox. It is offering the jab to very close contacts of those who have been affected.Belgium has reportedly introduced a 21-day quarantine for those who contract monkeypox after four infections were recorded in the country.
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