Monkeypox: Map shows where the most cases have been reported in England

Monkeypox has continued to spread around England, with a total of 2,883 cases now confirmed, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

So far, most of the infections have been identified in with London, where 2,047 cases have been confirmed - an increase of 93 from last Friday.

The South East has confirmed 258 cases (plus 21), the North West has confirmed 161 (plus 11), and the East of England has confirmed 107 (plus 4).

Read more: How to keep your pets safe if you have monkeypox

The majority of transmissions are between men who have sex with other men.

It comes as the UK waits to receive around 100,000 doses of smallpox vaccine, which is being used to protect against Monkeypox, amid reports the country is set to run out.

The UKHSA said 150,000 doses had been procured, but only 50,000 have been received due to supply issues.

There are only around 5,000 doses of the jab left, Sky News reported, with the remaining stock is set to arrive in September.

Dr Mary Ramsay of the UKHSA said: “The rollout is continuing at pace, with the vaccine being offered to individuals at higher risk of coming into contact with monkeypox in order to offer them protection and to help contain the current outbreak."

Read more: ‘I literally screamed out loud in pain’: my two weeks of monkeypox hell

In the UK, men who have sex with men are being prioritised for the vaccine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged men who have sex with men to consider having fewer sexual partners to stop the spread of monkeypox.

Ian Green, chief executive of sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, added: “There needs to be urgent action to salvage this situation.

“We know many gay and bisexual men will be worried by news of vaccine supplies running low and our advice to them is please do not panic.”

Sexual intercourse is thought to expose people to a higher risk of contracting monkeypox as, although it is not known to be sexually transmitted, the close physical contact involved means exposure is more likely.

The most likely route of transmission is close physical contact, touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash, or touching monkeypox skin blisters or scabs.

There have been 2,914 confirmed and 103 highly probable monkeypox cases in the UK from 6 May to 8 August.

Of these, 69 were in Scotland, 25 were in Northern Ireland, 40 were in Wales and 2,883 were in England.