#13,539
In typically tabloid fashion, some elements of the British press are having an absolute field day with yesterday's brief NHS report of a 3rd Monkeypox Case (Hospital Acquired HCW).
Elevating concerns, media reports are now suggesting a 4th case - the HCW's husband - has fallen ill and `developed spots'. This is, as far as I can tell, unconfirmed.
This 3-ring media circus, however, isn't helped by slow release of information from the NHS, which has yet to respond to these latest reports.Some of the big headlines overnight read:
Monkeypox healthcare worker thinks she caught virus changing patient's bedsheets Metro.co.uk
NHS worker who caught monkeypox fears she has passed on infection to husband Yahoo!
Monkeypox: Third Brit struck down blames NHS gloves – fears it's spreading nationwide Daily Star
Monkeypox virus: NHS blamed as nurse infected after being given ‘pathetically small gloves Daily and Sunday Express
While overly inflammatory, if these reports are correct that the HCW (labeled a `Healthcare assistant' by the press) contracted the virus through changing an infected patient's bed sheets (potentially via fomite transmission), then more rigorous infection control protocols may be required when dealing with this disease.
It also raises the possibility that additional people may have been exposed - something at least one local media outlet is speculating on this morning:
Monkeypox scare as Blackpool Victoria Hospital staff vaccinated(Continue . . .)
A “significant” number of patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital may have been exposed to monkeypox after a health worker became the third person in England to be diagnosed with the tropical disease.
I've checked the website of Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where this worker was exposed, but they haven't addressed the situation on their twitter account, or among their press releases since this story broke.
The only antidote to this media feeding frenzy is the release of full details by the relevant authorities.Hopefully that comes sooner rather than later.
