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Monkeypox declared notifiable disease in Britain

The Xinhua reported that a new law declaring monkeypox as a legally notifiable disease came into force across Britain on Wednesday (June 8), meaning all doctors in England are required to notify their local council or local Health Protection Team about any suspected monkeypox cases.
Laboratories must also notify the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) if the virus is identified in a laboratory sample.
Wendi Shepherd, monkeypox incident director at the UKHSA, said: "Rapid diagnosis and reporting is the key to interrupting transmission and containing any further spread of monkeypox. This new legislation will support us and our health partners to swiftly identify, treat and control the disease."
Francois Balloux, a professor of computational systems biology and director of the Genetics Institute at University College London, said the new law means that "all suspected monkeypox cases have to be reported.

This is a sensible change in regulation as it improves surveillance and facilitates contact tracing, though it does not reflect a change in the current containment measures in place."
In the latest bulletin on Wednesday, the UKHSA said it had detected 321 monkeypox cases across the country as of Tuesday, with 305 confirmed cases in England, 11 in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland and three in Wales.
UK Health agency confirms community spread of monkeypox in the country
"Anyone can get monkeypox, particularly if they have had close contact, including sexual contact with an individual with symptoms," said the UKHSA, advising people to contact sexual health clinics if they have a rash with blisters and have been to West or Central Africa in the past three weeks or have been in close contact with someone who has or might have monkeypox in the past three weeks.
David Heymann, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that "making monkeypox a notifiable disease suggests a desire to be sure to have reporting" from all sectors and all parts of the National Health Service.
WHO warns summer festivals and parties could further spread monkeypox
Heymann said: "It suggests that the government wants to focus surveillance on the entire population -- not only on the risk groups identified so far. This will permit clear identification of all risk groups and help better understand the epidemiology and extent of spread."
Paul Hunter, an expert in microbiology and communicable disease control, told Xinhua in a recent interview that "monkeypox is not a COVID situation and it will never be a COVID situation."
Britain issues monkeypox guidance to control transmission
Hunter said scientists were puzzled as there currently seems to be no apparent link between many cases in the current wave of monkeypox infections.
Source: xinhua
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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