Another three cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Hertfordshire, a health chief says.

As of today, there have now been eight cases in the county.

The first two cases were announced at the end of May and another three were confirmed on June 17.

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Hertfordshire County Council’s executive director of public health Jim McManus said: “At the time of writing (June 24) we have eight confirmed cases of monkeypox in Hertfordshire.

“It is spread through close contact. The majority of cases are in gay and bisexual men.

“Gay and bisexual men, who are at risk, are coming forward for assessment when they notice symptoms.

“We would urge them to continue to do this as their proactive responses are helping identify cases early and slow transmission.”

Mr McManus said the council is working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to ensure people with the virus are supported.

He added: “We will be ready to invite eligible gay and bisexual men for vaccination when the vaccines are made available by NHS England.”

The council has suggested people visit the Terrence Higgins Trust website for more information on monkeypox.

Mr McManus urged people to call 111 if they think they have been exposed to monkeypox.  

The UKHSA has confirmed that between May 6 and June 20 there have been 793 confirmed cases on monkeypox in the UK.

The NHS states that symptoms of monkeypox include, but are not limited to, a high temperature, a headache and muscle aches.

A rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms. It often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body.

The symptoms usually clear up in two to four weeks.

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