New advisory group on monkeypox will 'strengthen' Ireland's response - Donnelly

A national advisory group has been established to aid the Minister for Health on Ireland's response to the monkeypox outbreak. 

The group will advise Minister Stephen Donnelly on how best to combat the virus and enhance work already undertaken by the Department of Health and HSE. 

It follows a statement issued last month by the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern, the health body's highest level of alert. 

Speaking about the news, Minister Donnelly said, "Since the first monkeypox infection alert, Ireland has moved quickly to respond to the monkeypox disease outbreak. The Strategic Advisory Group will strengthen our response.
 
"My Department alongside the HSE, HPSC, partner agencies and stakeholders have been working hard to help prevent and reduce monkeypox infections in Ireland.

"We have implemented a broad range of public health measures to control the disease outbreak and I look forward to furthering this work and broadening the many communications and engagement activities that have been undertaken to support those impacted by monkeypox." 

Chaired by the Interim Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth, membership of the Strategic Advisory Group on Monkeypox includes experts from multiple disciplines across public health, infectious disease and immunology fields. 

Professor Smyth said the group will play an important part of Ireland's response. 

She said, "The multidisciplined membership of the Strategic Advisory Group will play a key role in providing oversight and advice on the surveillance and management of monkeypox at a national level as well as the ongoing strategy to contain the outbreak, supporting our efforts to contain the spread of the disease. 

"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)." 

She continued: "It's important to be aware of monkeypox and its symptoms in order to protect ourselves and others. Symptoms include: a high temperature, muscle pains, swollen glands, exhaustion, headache, backache, shivering or chills. A rash usually appears 1 – 5 days after the first symptoms. The rash often begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body." 
 
If you have symptoms of monkeypox or have been in contact with someone who has monkeypox, please contact your GP.