Number of monkeypox cases across Hartlepool and North East revealed

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool Borough Council’s director of public health, said the illness has “not really affected” the region due to the very low number of cases recorded.

Monkeypox is a rare infection mainly found in parts of west or central Africa.

But there have been a rising number of cases discovered in the UK.

Speaking at the latest meeting of Hartlepool’s health and wellbeing board earlier this week, Mr Blundred said there had been “fewer than six” instances of the illness found in Hartlepool.

He added exact figures could not be given because they are “so low” and could lead to “deductive disclosure” of the individuals affected.

Mr Blundred said: “It hasn’t really affected us in Hartlepool in any significant way.

"But we do have an ongoing vaccination programme which is being delivered through our sexual health services for people at risk.

“We’ve been assured that is now up and running, despite there being some challenges in actually accessing the vaccines.”

He noted they will be getting additional vaccines in the coming weeks and those at risk will be contacted.

The meeting heard there had been 47 monkeypox cases recorded in the North East, 3,257 in England and 3,413 across the UK as a whole.

NHS advice states although more people have been diagnosed with it recently, only a small number of people in the UK have had monkeypox and the risk remains low.

Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, aching muscles, with a rash usually appearing later.