Third person diagnosed with monkeypox in England
The healthcare worker was looking after someone suffering from the disease - before they had been diagnosed with it.
Wednesday 26 September 2018 19:00, UK
A healthcare worker who looked after someone suffering from monkeypox has been "isolated" after also picking up the disease.
It is the third case of the rare viral infection in England and was "not wholly unexpected", Public Health England (PHE) said.
It is "actively monitoring contacts" so that anyone with possible symptoms can be "assessed quickly".
Earlier this month, the worker was involved in the care, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, of the second person to become infected.
"This healthcare worker cared for the patient before a diagnosis of monkeypox was made," Dr Nick Phin from PHE said.
They are being cared for at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
There was a large outbreak of monkeypox, which does not spread easily between people, in Nigeria in September 2017.
While most people recover within a few weeks, some can develop a severe illness.
The first person to be diagnosed, a Nigerian national, was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in London after being diagnosed while staying at a naval base in Cornwall.
The second case, concerning someone who had travelled to Nigeria, came to light earlier this month, only a few days after the first.
PHE has previously said there is no link between the first two patients.
Dr Phin said: "We have been actively monitoring contacts for 21 days after exposure to detect anyone presenting with an illness so that they can be assessed quickly.
"It is therefore not wholly unexpected that a case has been identified.
"This person has been isolated and we are taking a highly precautionary approach to ensure that all contacts are traced."