A British scientist fears music festivals could become monkeypox superspreader events, as a health expert claims he would not enter enclosed tents.

       Dr Will Nutland, honorary assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has warned that the risk of infection could increase at a series of festivals being held over the coming weeks.

       The scientist, who is also co-founder of Prepster, a volunteer group of London-based HIV prevention activists helping raise awareness about monkeypox, hosted a webinar dedicated to informing the LGBTQ+ community about the risks of monkeypox.

       The event followed many health experts urging gay men to be “hyper vigilant” for any new ulcers, lesions or rashes after the majority of infections have been found among men who have had sex with other men.

       While monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease (STI) it can spread through sex due to the close contact.

       Dr Nutland said: “There’s been talk in some of the networks we are involved in of the potential dangers of groups of people getting together.

       “Particularly where groups of people may get together and drink, or get high, and start making out.

       “We know there is a big two-day festival coming up [Mighty Hoopla] that’s going to attract a lot of queer people in London in a week’s time.”

       Mighty Hoopla is a popular festival in Brockwell park in Stockwell, South London and bands such as Sugababes, Steps and Blue will be playing at the event on June 3 and 4.

       Experts have also voiced concerns that other large events popular with the gay community, such as Pride, could also serve as superspreader events.

       Taking precautions

       Mateo Prochazka, an STI expert on the UK Health Security Agency team investigating the monkeypox cases, said although he had a ticket to the event he would attend despite the risk but would think about avoiding high-risk situations and environments.

       “I’m going there to have a good time, to dance, to have a drink, to sit on the grass. [But] I will maybe think about whether I want to be in a closed tent dancing with a lot of people, just because I want to protect my health,” Mr Prochazka, who is gay, said.

       “That’s not necessarily something I’m telling everyone they should be doing, but I’m thinking about it.

       “If I were single, if I were not in a monogamous relationship, I maybe would withhold from having multiple new sexual contacts just because I don't want the experience of going through the monkeypox pathway right now.

       “That is just my personal choice, but I will very much still go to Mighty Hoopla and do things I feel like are not risky.”

       Dr Nutland added: “There are not calls for us to start closing down venues and events. In fact, quite the opposite.

       “Those of us involved in these public health discussions know that is not the right thing to do. Let’s have a nice balance going on.”

       A spokesman for Mighty Hoopla said: “Across all Brockwell Live festivals, we remain committed to working in line with government health guidance regarding public safety at events.

       “As with our policy following the Covid-19 pandemic - ticket holders are urged to stay at home if they feel unwell.”

       Officials now believe monkeypox is likely to spread around the world very quickly after a series of so-called “superspreader events”. A sauna in Madrid, Spain, became classified as having suffered a superspreader event after a single man with monkeypox visited it earlier this month.

       A gay Pride event in the Canary Islands and a fetish festival in Belgium, are also believed to be linked to multiple early infections.

       Pet isolation

       Currently there are 106 known cases of the virus in the UK, with 101 in England, three in Scotland, one in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.

       It comes as the British health authorities updated official guidance that pet rodents, including gerbils, guinea pigs and hamsters, with monkeypox must be isolated in a secure location, such as a government lab, for three weeks.

       This is the human incubation period for the disease and the animal must be shown to be negative with a PCR test before it can be released. There are an estimated two million pet rodents in Britain.

       Wendi Shepherd, monkeypox incident director at the UK Health Security Agency, called the move “a precautionary measure”.

       Other pets, such as cats and dogs, are believed to be less susceptible to monkeypox and can be isolated away from an infected person at home, as long as vets can access the animal safely.