Two more cases of more contagious mpox strain found in Britain

Two new cases of a more contagious variant of MPox have been discovered in Britain, health officials say.

The new cases come after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced late last month that a single case of Clade 1b mpox had been detected in the country.

Mpox, formerly known as Monkeypoxwas the first declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2022, after cases suddenly increased in Europe and America, particularly that affect gays, bisexuals and other men-who-have-sex-with-men.

In August, WHO again declared the disease a global public health emergency, after a new strain – Clade 1b – caused cases to rise in Africaparticularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Uganda.

The Clade 1b strain is associated with more severe disease and higher mortality rates than Clade 2.

Both new British patients were housemates of the original patient and received specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Professor Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser at UKHSA, said: “The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to ensure all contacts of cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.”

As the first UK case of the Clade Ib strain was announced, Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised the doctors and nurses who treated the patient and said the government was “working with UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission” , adding: “This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

“We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.”

Mpox is a viral infection transmitted through close contact, such as sex, touching, talking, or breathing near another person, and is part of the smallpox family of viruses. Patients often develop a rash, along with other symptoms such as high temperature, swollen glands and chills.

The rash can go through several stages, starting as raised spots that turn into small blisters filled with fluid that will eventually scab over and fall off.

The WHO has previously urged it gay and bisexual men stay vigilant and get vaccinated.

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