Ireland to receive more monkeypox vaccines under new Cabinet plans

Ireland will get more monkeypox vaccines under plans to be discussed by Cabinet on Monday.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is expected to brief colleagues on plans for Ireland to me among the first tranche of European countries to get more vaccines.

There have been 39 cases of the virus dectected in Ireland as of the end of June.

A European Commission procurement under the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is set to see Ireland get a supply of the modified Vaccinia Ankara which is marketed under the name Jynneos.

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[ Monkeypox: Your questions answered from transmission to symptoms ]

Ireland previously purchased a supply of the smallpox vaccine Imvanex for use here.

The first case of monkeypox in the Republic of Ireland was confirmed in May.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) has advised that close contacts of confirmed cases and health workers treating people with the infection should be offered a vaccine.

[ Monkeypox does not have 'any ability to cause a pandemic', says infectious disease expert ]

Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with monkeypox virus.

The virus is found in some animal populations in remote parts of central and west Africa, and in the past has caused occasional limited outbreaks in local communities and travellers.

In recent months cases have been reported across multiple countries.

Symptoms of monkeypox infection include: itchy rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

There is no medicine that can cure monkeypox, but it is usually a self-limiting illness and most people recover within weeks.