NEW figures have revealed the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Cumbria since the beginning of the outbreak.

Data for upper-tier local authorities was published by the UK Health Security Agency for the first time yesterday and revealed there had been fewer than five cases in Cumbria.

Colin Cox, Cumbria's director of public health, said: "The general public advice is that monkeypox is quite difficult to spread between people, so this is not like Covid, and it's not going to become like Covid, so the vast majority probably don't really need to worry about monkeypox at the moment."

READ MORE: What are the symptoms of Monkeypox and how is it transmitted?

Mr Cox said a rash was a 'key' symptom and that before that people tended to get cold and flu symptoms 'which aren't helpful [in identifying monkeypox]'.

Anyone can catch monkeypox, although the majority of cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with other men. 

"People who are within these groups need to be aware of the symptoms," said Mr Cox.