Most of the UK patients caught the virus in the UK rather than abroad, which is significant because previously the tropical disease was confined to a small number of people with travel links to Africa.
And 111 cases are known to be men who have sex with men. Most of the country's infections - 87 per cent - were among people aged 20 to 49. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said more than 60 per cent of domestic infections have been among gay and bisexual men, with more than 86 per cent based in the epicentre London. Britain's monkeypox cases are linked to gay bars, saunas and dating apps, health chiefs revealed as the cumulative number of cases in the UK nears 200.
