Advisory Group Set Up In Ireland To Deal With Monkeypox Outbreak

Thursday, 18 August 2022 14:47

By Caoimhe Harney

The Strategic Advisory Group will have 16 members from the Department of Health and the HSE, as well as virologists.

A Strategic Advisory Group to deal with monkeypox is being set up by the government.

The Strategic Advisory Group will have 16 members from the Department of Health and the HSE, as well as virologists, and will advise the government on how best to respond to outbreaks.

The announcement follows last month’s declaration by the World Health Organization that the monkeypox outbreak represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the health body’s highest level of alert.

To date, 113 cases of the virus have been detected in Ireland.

The symptoms of monkeypox include: a high temperature (380C or higher), muscle pains, swollen glands, exhaustion, headache, backache, shivering or chills.

A rash usually appears 1 – 5 days after the first symptoms, and the rash often begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body.

The Group will be chaired by the Interim Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth and its membership includes experts from multiple disciplines across including from public health, infectious disease and immunology fields.

Prof Smyth commented:“While anyone, regardless of their sexuality can get monkeypox, surveillance data indicates that almost all cases in Ireland, are in men who self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (gbMSM).

“It's important to be aware of monkeypox and its symptoms in order to protect ourselves and others," she insisted.

“If you have symptoms of monkeypox or have been in contact with someone who has monkeypox, please contact your GP, " she added.