THE council has urged Pride partygoers to be “particularly careful” when gathering in large groups to stop the spread of monkeypox.

More than 1,700 confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in the UK, with experts estimating that numbers are doubling every 15 days.

The infection, normally found in parts of west and central Africa, can be spread from person to person by touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with a monkeypox rash, touching skin blisters or scabs of an infected person, and the coughs and sneezes of a person with a monkeypox rash.

The majority of cases in Britain are among gay and bisexual men, with Brighton and Hove City Council urging people attending Pride and other festivals to take precautions to protect themselves from catching the virus or passing it on to others. 

A council spokesman said: “Anyone can catch monkeypox. If anyone has been in contact with someone who has monkeypox, or if you spot a rash with blisters and have aches, a fever and swollen glands, you should contact a sexual health clinic or call NHS 111 for a confidential conversation. Please stay at home and avoid close contact with other people until you’ve been told what to do.

“We’d urge people to be particularly careful when attending large events like Pride, Trans Pride or other festivals over the summer where people gather in close proximity for prolonged periods of time.

“We’d encourage everyone to follow good hygiene, pace yourself when drinking, practise safe sex and to be aware of the symptoms of monkeypox and of Covid-19, and stay at home if you feel at all unwell.”

The council is working closely with Pride organisers as well as NHS Sussex, local sexual health services and other organisations to make sure the latest advice is followed and shared.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove Pride said: “We take the safety of attendees at Pride very seriously. As with all health messaging, we work with our NHS and other partners to share health and safety information, and this year will be no different.

“We have an ongoing series of multi-agency meetings to evaluate the current advice and will be communicating with our attendees nearer the event by email, through our website when we have the latest and most up-to-date guidance.”

Sexual health organisations have warned that the virus outbreak could become endemic without more action from the government, with leading organisations calling for more measures to stop the spread.

President of the Association of Directors of Public Health Jim McManus said: “We must eliminate this outbreak. If it becomes endemic in any part of our population, it will cost hundreds of times more in pain, misery, harm and avoidable cost than eliminating it.

Brighton and Hove’s sexual health service can be contacted on 01272 523388.