THE HEALTH MINISTER has been given approval by Cabinet to acquire more monkeypox vaccines for Ireland. 

Stephen Donnelly will enter the country into a ‘donation contract’ with the European Commission to receive a supply of a monkeypox vaccine called Jynneos. 

The vaccines are being donated to EU States based on population size. The first delivery of doses to Ireland is expected in the coming weeks.

The HSE previously entered a contract for the supply of smallpox vaccine Imvanex to use against monkeypox infection.

The HSE is administering these doses in line with advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.

There have been 39 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ireland up to the end of June. Over 4,000 confirmed cases have been reported throughout Europe.

Monkeypox spreads through close contact and the risk of spread within the community is generally low. 

Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a rash with blisters.

Health authorities in Africa last week said they are treating the expanding monkeypox outbreak there as an emergency.

They called on rich countries to share vaccine supplies in an effort to avoid the equity problems seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.