Two additional cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Ireland, bringing the total to four.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) says Public Health is following up with those who had close contact with each case, while they were infected.
The cases here come after the reporting of more than 500 other confirmed cases of monkeypox in Europe, North America and many other countries worldwide over recent weeks.
The HPSC said in order to maintain patient confidentiality, no further information about the cases will be provided.
The vast majority of cases do not have a travel link to a country where monkeypox is endemic.
Many countries have reported that the cases are predominantly, but not exclusively, in men who self-identify as gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.
A multidisciplinary Incident Management Team was established by the HSE when the international alert was first raised and commenced activities to prepare for cases in Ireland. They said they will continue to actively monitor this evolving international situation.
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.
The cases being reported across multiple countries now are unusual because most of the cases do not have a link to travel to these parts of Africa.
There are two types of monkeypox: West African monkeypox and Congo Basin monkeypox. It is the milder, West African, type that is causing the current outbreak.
Monkeypox spreads through close contact, including contact with the skin rash of someone with monkeypox.
People who closely interact with someone who is infectious are at greater risk for infection: this includes household members, sexual partners and healthcare workers. The risk of spread within the community in general, is very low.
Some symptoms of the monkeypox virus include: itchy rash, fever (>38.50C), headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, and chills.
