New case of Mpox Clade 1b detected in UK amid health warnings

A new case has been detected of a more contagious strain of mpox has been detected in the UK, health officials have said.

The total number of confirmed cases of the Clade 1b variant in the UK is now four with the UK Health Security Agency saying .

It comes after the declared a "" in August following a deadly surge in Africa – with 19 countries reporting more than 48,000 suspected mpox cases and 1,048 deaths this year so far, according to Africa CDC.

The Clade 1b strain of Mpox has been detected in household contacts of the first UK case, confirmed just last week in London - bringing the total number of confirmed UK cases to four.

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Clade 1 is known to be a more severe strain of the virus, and was responsible for at least during an initial outbreak in Congo. And the newer and more deadly strain, known as Clade 1b, later , before moving over to Germany, India and Thailand.

Mpox is a viral infection that usually causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions across the body. While it is usually mild, severe cases can kill. Clade 1b is a different form of the virus from Clade 2, which spread globally in 2022, largely among men who have sex with men. Both forms can be transmitted through close physical contact, including sexual contact.

The new patient is currently receiving specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust in London. The UKHSA says risk to the UK population remains low, and there has been "extensive planning" to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: "Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household. The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread."