Monkeypox is back in the headlines as of yesterday, back to work after a short break.

It burst onto the front pages, with concomitant BIG RED NUMBERS and daily case updates a couple of weeks ago, and then went quiet. The press pretty much stopped talking about it.

…until they started again.

Yesterday it was reported that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has “upgraded” monkeypox to a “notifiable disease”, meaning any positive test must be immediately reported to the government agency.

Ever one for subtlety, the Telegraph’s front page reports this as “monkeypox upgraded to same level as leprosy and the plague”

Across the pond, the US CDC has made the curiously synchronised decision to increase their travel alert on Monkeypox to level 2, which recommends people “practice enhanced precautions”.

Let’s be clear here – the “monkeypox outbreak” is a joke.