Belgium has become the first country to introduce a mandatory 21-day quarantine for monkeypox patients. Health authorities in Belgium announced the measures on Friday after the country reported its third case of the disease – typically endemic to Africa.
As of Monday, the country has recorded four local cases, with confirmed infections worldwide standing at around 100. Cases have been confirmed in at least 14 countries, including the UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the US, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Sweden and France. There have been no reported cases of the disease in Ireland to date.
No deaths worldwide have so far been reported and there have only been two hospitalisations with the infection which can be spread through droplet infection (coughing) and skin-to-skin contact including sexual transmission. Symptoms of the disease are usually mild and patients recover without medical intervention within 2-4 weeks, according to the NHS.
Despite the disease being described as ‘mild’ by health authorities, US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that ‘everybody’ should be concerned about the cases of monkeypox now being detected both in the US and in Europe. The US has vaccines ready to deploy that are “relevant to treating monkeypox,” a Government national security adviser further confirmed.
The compulsory measures will force those with a confirmed infection to isolate for three weeks. Close contacts will not be required to self-isolate, but are encouraged to remain vigilant, especially if in contact with people deemed vulnerable.
A translated version of the Government announcement read: “Infected persons will have to go into contact isolation until the injuries have healed (they will receive concrete instructions about this from the treating doctor).”
In the wake of Belgium’s announcement, the UK said that those who are at high-risk of catching the disease should self-isolate for 21 days. That includes household contacts or medical professionals who may have been in contact with an infected patient.
Belgian daily paper Le Soir reported that the risk of a larger outbreak of the virus, which is part of the smallpox family, is low, according to the Belgian Institute of Tropical Medicine.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday, microbiologist Emmanuel André, who is in charge of the National Reference lab for COVID-19 in Belgium, said that the fourth case of monkeypox had been confirmed in the country.
“This patient is being treated in Wallonia and is linked to the Antwerp event in which two other people were infected,” he wrote, referring to a festival in the port city which took place earlier this month.
In Ireland, an expert team has been set up to prepare for the possible arrival of monkeypox here. Several public health groups will be involved in the management team including the National Immunisation Office, the National Virus Reference Laboratory and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
The “flu like” symptoms of the virus include a cough, swollen lymph glands and a rash on the face and body which starts with spots, then blisters.
While the rare infection is mainly spread by wild animals in parts of west or central africa, the cases already identified in Europe did not have a direct link with Africa, and the majority were young men who had been identified through sexual health clinics with rashes and general symptoms.
Dr Derval Igoe, who is heading up the HSE special incidence management team, speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, said it is ‘possible’ that cases will be detected in Ireland, and said those who suspect they have contacted monkeypox should self-isolate, and they will be monitored by health officials for 21 days.