Two more cases of potentially deadly mpox strain found in the UK
The second and third cases of the Clade Ib mpox virus have been detected.
The two new cases are household contacts of the first case recorded in the UK, who contracted the virus after returning from a holiday in Africa on October 21.
They are both receiving specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, 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.’
After the first person returned from Africa on October 21, they developed a rash by October 24 which worsened over the next few days.
They went to hospital on October 27 where they were tested and sent home to isolate, before then being transferred to the Royal Free Hospital high consequence infectious diseases unit for treatment.
Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.
As of early September, more than 600 deaths from the virus had been reported.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern because of the rapid spread of the mpox strain.
What is mpox and is there a vaccine?
Mpox spreads from animals to humans and between people through close contact with someone who is infected – including through sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.
Symptoms may first appear as a high fever and headache, accompanied by muscle pains.
Those infected are also likely to have a lack of energy in the first five days after contracting the disease.
They might also include backaches, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion and joint pain.
The most telling symptom is a rash, which appears usually 1 to 5 days after an infected person first experiences symptoms.
It often begins on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, but can be confused with chickenpox.
While there are no specific treatments for monkeypox, vaccination against smallpox has proven to be very effective.
There is no direct cure for Mpox, but doctors aim to treat its symptoms, including clearing up the rash and managing pain.
According to the UKHSA, the UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured.
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This strain of mpox is different from mpox Clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
The UKHSA said that while the existing evidence suggests mpox Clade Ib causes more severe disease than Clade II, it will continue to monitor it and learn more.
It said it will initially manage Clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease.
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