Thursday 23 June 2022 02:17 AM Glastonbury revellers warned of monkeypox danger by health chiefs as event ... trends now
Jubilant festivalgoers at Glastonbury have been warned of skin-to-skin contact and the danger of monkeypox by health chiefs as the music event returns for the first time in three years after Covid delays.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged the 20,000 people who are set to descend on Worthy Farm in Somerset for the five-day-long festival to be mindful of the disease as case numbers in the UK continue to rise.
So far 793 people in the UK have tested positive for the virus, with the vast majority of these cases being found in England, and in gay and bisexual men.
Earlier this month the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that festivals in Europe this summer could act as super spreading events for the disease.
Thousands of people queued at the entrance to the farm yesterday morning, eager to start five days of partying and ready to enjoy a star-studded line-up of music acts including headliners Billie Eilish, Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar.
And the first day saw crowds bathed in glorious sunshine, as the British summer welcomed revellers back to Somerset for the first time since 2019.
People both young and old and from all parts of the UK - and some even from abroad - descended on the farm near Shepton Mallet, powering through the ongoing national rail strike that has paralysed train networks across the country.
Dressed in brightly coloured clothes and enjoying the festival atmosphere, those who got there early showed no signs of letting the strike ruin their good mood.
The festival's main stage will not open until Friday, with headliner Billie Eilish set for the iconic Pyramid Stage followed by Sir Paul McCartney on Saturday and rapper Kendrick Lamar bringing the event to a close on Sunday.
However, DJs and live music is planned from today for eager fans who have arrived at the site early - as more than 200,000 people are expected to descend at Glastonbury over the next two days.
A couple embrace in the sunset at Worthy Farm in Somerset yesterday as the first day of Glastonbury Festival 2022 got underway
Festival goers, dressed in suitable clothing for the glorious sunshine, walk through the camp as they look to soak in the atmosphere
Hundreds of people gathered to sit on one of the hills at the festival as they made the most of the sunshine before forecasted rain later this weekend
At the first Glastonbury since 2019, Ed proposes to his girlfriend Chelsea as the sun begins to set on the first day of the festival
Thousands of people arrived at the festival yesterday, with more than 20,000 people expected to attend the five-day-long extravaganza
The Pyramid stage, which will host the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish over the weekend, looms in the distance amid a sea of tents
Festivalgoers gather around Pride-themed artwork at Worthy Farm on the first day of the first Glastonbury Festival since 2019
Festivalgoers wasted no time setting up their tents in the massive campsite, which is expected to host around 20,000 people throughout the weekend
Groups of friends from all over the UK have come to the festival, powering through the national rail strike which has caused travel chaos
But those in attendance have been warned to enjoy themselves responsibly and be mindful of the increasing number of monkeypox cases in the UK, the Daily Star reports.
A spokesperson for the UKHSA said: 'Festival-goers should also be aware that there is currently transmission of monkeypox in the UK.
'The infection mainly spreads between people through direct (skin to skin) contact, including sexual contact, or close contact with surfaces that have been contaminated with the monkeypox virus.
'If you have a rash with blisters, or any other monkeypox symptoms, don't go to events, meet with friends, or have sexual contact. Instead, stay at home and contact 111 or your local sexual health service for advice.
'If you have been advised to self-isolate, please continue to do so and you should not attend the festival without prior clearance from the relevant health authority.'
Dr Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Europe regional director, said earlier this month that the resumption of international travel and events such as festivals had allowed disease to spread.
'Rapid, amplified transmission has occurred in the context of the recent lifting of pandemic restrictions on international travel and events,' he said.
He added the current outbreak was the 'largest and most geographically widespread' ever reported, with Europe at its 'epicentre'.
'Many – but not all cases – report fleeting and/or multiple sexual partners, sometimes associated with large events or parties,' he added.
The glorious sunshine was welcomed by festivalgoers who might have been expecting the classic British summer weather of torrential rain. This woman raises her shirt as she gets sprayed with water by a festival worker to cool down
People both young and old have come to the festival. This young boy sits on a woman's shoulders on the first day of this year's event
The classic sight of people in fancy-dress has also returned for this year's festival, with this man dressed a zebra and carrying a toy giraffe
This couple also came in fancy dress, sensibly covering their heads from the worst of the sun with their mushroom-style hats
Festivalgoers gather round a campfire as the sun goes down over Somerset on the first day of this year's Glastonbury Festival
This group of female festivalgoers seemed to be having a blast as the sun went down on the first day of Glastonbury yesterday
Festivalgoers have already been queuing in traffic since dawn for the first day of Glastonbury after the chaotic rail strike forced many to camp overnight at the four-day Somerset festival.
Organisers told fans they could begin parking at the site from 4pm on Tuesday after
