The latest report on the epidemiology of Human Monkeypox in Ireland ) (Week 34, 2022) : https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/zoonotic/monkeypox/monkeypoxdataandreports/Weekly%20Human%20Monkeypox%20Report_v0.1_Week34_Website_30082022.pdf
Key Points
• Cases of monkeypox infection with no link to an endemic area have been reported since 16-05-2022. Outside of endemic areas cases are primarily occurring among men and where information is known, among gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (gbMSM).
• On 23 July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the multi-country outbreak (including both endemic and non-endemic countries) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). A PHEIC is the highest level of alert that the United Nations health body can confer.
• Information on the global epidemiological situation is available here, WHO Dashboard here and information on the European situation is available here.
• To enable the monitoring of cases in Ireland and the Public Heath response, Monkeypox infection was made a notifiable infection on the 27-05-2022.
• This report includes confirmed cases of Monkeypox infection notified on the Computerised Infectious Disease Reporting system for Ireland (CIDR) up to the end of the preceding epidemiological week.
• As of week 34 2022 (up to midnight on the 27-08-2022), 144 confirmed cases of Monkeypox infection have been notified on the CIDR. • In week 34 2022, 18 confirmed cases were notified.
• Among all 144 cases notified to date, all cases are male, and have a median age of 35.5 years.
• Sexual orientation is known for 125, all of whom self-identify gbMSM.
• Sixteen cases have been hospitalised; nine cases were admitted for clinical care related to Monkeypox infection, two admitted for isolation purposes only, and information on the reason for admission for the other five is still awaited.
• The epidemiological picture to date in Ireland is similar to that seen in other countries where cases are primarily among gbMSM.
• Further information on Monkeypox infection including the symptoms, and how to reduce the risk are available at: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/zoonotic/monkeypox/factsheets/