THE NUMBER OF confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ireland has climbed to nine, according to new figures released by health authorities.

In a weekly report the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPPSC) said that all the cases recorded to date have occurred in men, with a median age of 37 years.

The nine people range in age from 32 to 46 and none of them have needed to be hospitalised for clinical care after contracting the virus.

The cases were recorded between 31 May and 8 June.

The HPPSC notes that further cases are expected to be seen in Ireland in the coming weeks due to the increasing number of cases detected internationally.

Its weekly report added that all cases in Ireland have been in recorded in people who self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned this week that there is a risk that the virus becomes established in non-endemic nations.

However, the UN health agency is not recommending mass vaccination against the virus, and added that no deaths had been reported so far from the outbreaks.

The zoonotic disease is endemic in humans in nine African countries but outbreaks have been reported in the past month in several other states – mostly in Europe, and notably in Britain, Spain and Portugal.

The initial symptoms of monkeypox include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery chickenpox-like rash.

One case of the virus in a non-endemic country is considered an outbreak.

In the few places where vaccines are available, they are being used to protect those who may be exposed, such as healthcare workers.

Sylvie Briand, the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director, said the smallpox vaccine could be used against monkeypox, a fellow orthopoxvirus, with a high degree of efficacy.

The WHO is trying to determine how many doses are currently available and to find out from manufacturers what their production and distribution capacities are.

Additional reporting from AFP