AS if we have not already heard quite enough about infectious diseases over the past two years, in an unexpected development reported earlier this week, there has apparently been an outbreak of monkeypox in the UK. The news is not necessarily alarming — at least not yet — but there are several aspects to the story that may be cause for some concern.

Monkeypox, according to helpful information from the World Health Organization (WHO), is an infection endemic in central and western Africa, and is usually caused by exposure to infected animals, such as rodents, or as the name suggests, monkeys. The disease in human causes symptoms similar to other sorts of 'pox' diseases like chicken pox or cowpox, namely skin lesions, fever, muscle aches and chills.