Concerns are growing amid the recent Monkeypox outbreak in Europe which has been seen in England, Portugal and Spain
Two new cases of the rare illness have been confirmed in the U.K. bringing the total nationwide number of infections to nine since the start of May, with 20 confirmed cases in Portugal.
One of the latest cases was detected in London, while the other was in the south east.
The first case recorded in England at the beginning of May was a traveller from Nigeria, but all the subsequent cases have not been linked to travel from endemic ares or the first case.
While on a small scale with just 36 suspected cases across the three countries, health experts have little knowledge of where people caught the virus.
There is a growing concern the disease may be spreading undetected through the community and possibly through a new route of transmission.
Monkeypox can cause a fever, body aches, enlarged lymph nodes and eventually a rash or painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands and feet.
One version of Monkeypox is quite deadly and kills up to 10% of people infected but the version currently in England is more mild and its fatality rate is less than 1%.
It can transmit from animals to humans when an infected animal – such as a rodent or a primate – bites or scratches a person.
The virus can also spread from person to person via large respiratory droplets in the air, but these cannot travel more than a few feet.
Health officials say that it takes about two to fours weeks for the disease to subside and you must isolate during this time.
The U.S. has also recorded its first case of the virus in Massachusetts on May 18.
The renowned Montreal-based Just for Laughs comedy festival, one of the world’s largest international comedy events, will not grace the calendar in 2024.
The Canadian company overseeing the festival announced its cancellation this year, citing efforts to steer clear of bankruptcy. Having marked its 40th anniversary in 2023, Just For Laughs has long been a beloved fixture on the city’s cultural landscape.
With its absence raising questions about which event will inherit the title of the biggest comedy festival, speculation arises whether Melbourne will seize the mantle, given its burgeoning comedy scene and the success of its own Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Leaders from the world’s seven most industrialised nations gather this week amidst escalating tensions in various global hotspots, particularly within the Middle East.