LONDON: The United Kingdom has reported its first case of a new mpox variant, known as clade 1b, which was detected in a patient in London, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Wednesday. The persons, who had recently returned from Africa, developed flu-like symptoms shortly after arrival in the UK.
UKHSA has stated that the risk to the general public remains low. “We are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread,” said Dr. Susan Hopkins, the agency’s chief medical adviser. Fewer than 10 people believed to have come into close contact with the patient are currently being traced by health authorities.
The patient, who returned on an overnight flight on October 21, initially experienced flu-like symptoms over 24 hours later, followed by a worsening rash. On October 27, he sought treatment at a London emergency department, where he was tested for mpox and advised to isolate while awaiting results. He is now receiving treatment in an infectious diseases unit.
Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, is marked by fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that progresses into fluid-filled blisters. It has two main subtypes: clade 1 and clade 2.
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The outbreak of clade 2 began spreading globally in May 2022. In response to the rapid transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency in July 2022, which was lifted in May 2023 after vaccination and public health initiatives helped contain the outbreak.
However, in 2024, a two-pronged epidemic emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), introducing both clade 1 and the new clade 1b variant. Clade 1 primarily affects children, while clade 1b has been identified in neighboring African nations such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, where mpox had not previously been reported.
In recent months, isolated cases of clade 1b have also been recorded in Germany, Sweden, and Thailand.
The WHO declared another international emergency in August, spurred by the emergence of clade 1b in Africa and the detection of cases in other countries.
