BRIGHTON has the highest rate of monkeypox cases anywhere in England, outside London.

There were 75 cases were recorded in Brighton and Hove up to August 15, the latest data available.

It means the city has a case rate of 0.27 per 1,000 people – the highest outside London, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The BBC reported that monkeypox vaccines in Brighton ran out five days ago.

Labour MP for Kemp Town, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, has criticised the government’s response to monkeypox.

“The government has been too slow at buying and distributing vaccines. They have only supplied half of the vaccines Brighton needs for its ‘very high risk’ groups,” he said.

“We have the highest prevalence of monkeypox outside London but our last shipment of vaccines to Brighton and Worthing was 400 doses on the Monday after Pride, which only fulfilled already booked appointments.

“Other areas at lower risk have had another shipment but none of the remaining 5,000 vaccines we have to last until the end of September have been allocated to Brighton.

The Argus: Lloyds Russell-Moyle has slammed the government for its handling of monkeypox vaccinesLloyds Russell-Moyle has slammed the government for its handling of monkeypox vaccines

Mr Russell-Moyle said the longer the city waits for its share of vaccines, the more the risk will grow.

“The government failed to make an order of vaccines until three months into the spread of monkeypox and even then they ordered 100,000 too few,” he said.

“They have put Brighton and Britain at risk because of their inaction.”

The Argus was waiting for confirmation from the NHS on the official number of vaccines available in Sussex as it went to print.

Mr Russell-Moyle said everyone regarded as “high risk” needs to be contacted and reassured they are “in the queue”, and those who feel they are “high risk” but not registered to sign up.

“We need a non-judgemental public information campaign on symptoms and risks, and we need government action on securing the 250,000 vaccines the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV say is needed,” he said.

The infection 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.