A SUSPECTED case of Mpox (Monkey Pox) in a Grimsby care home turned out to be a false alarm.
The scare occurred when the elderly male resident, though otherwise well, presented with a widespread rash.
Mpox was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958, with the first human case occurring in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Since then it has spready globally with a particular surge in 2022. However, it is very rare in the UK.
The flu-like symptoms and rash are unpleasant but the condition is usually 'self-limiting' - it clears up after a few weeks.
A report on the Grimsby 'case' states: "There were no known factors that would have suggested that this patient, nor anyone else in, or associated with, the care home was a plausible risk for Mpox.
"Despite epidemiology suggesting that Mpox was highly unlikely, four independent clinicians raised concerns and so the patient was admitted to a hospital isolation unit for further investigation.
"He remained in hospital for an extended period due to swabs being missed and late reported results.
"Unfortunately, he went on to acquire a healthcare associated infecton, HCAI, extending his admission further.
"Results eventually confirmed the absence of Mpox, and a diagnosis of viral rash was given."
The report goes on identify a number of concerns about the case including:
• Timeliness of testing and results
• Communication challenges between involved agencies
• Primary Care response to care home patients
The case was circulated to the wider health system and review meetings took place with partner agencies in order to understand and share learning points and identify any potential issues in the system with regards to the Mpox response.
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