The UK on Wednesday confirmed its first case of a more severe Mpox variety, known as clade 1b, forcing health officials to increase measures.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that the infected patient had recently returned from Africa and was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in North London.
The patient’s care is currently being managed in containment to stop any further transmission by a facility, which specialises in high-level isolation and has previously treated Ebola cases.
Clade 1b Mpox is a new variant that health authorities have flagged as particularly concerning due to its potentially increased severity.
Compared to other Mpox strains circulating in the UK since 2022, clade 1b is associated with more severe symptoms and a higher risk of complications, particularly in susceptible populations such as pregnant women.
Mpox symptoms commonly include a lumpy rash with pus-filled lesions, fever, muscle aches, and exhaustion, with an increased risk of miscarriage if contracted while pregnant.
This strain was initially identified last year in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it has infected over 25,000 people and resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities.
The World Health Organization declared mpox a global health emergency earlier this year, following its spread from the DRC to neighboring African countries and others.
The UKHSA plans to monitor the patient closely to gather more data on the variant, including insights into its severity, transmission dynamics, and possible measures for control.
The UKHSA in a statement stated that knowing more about clade 1b is crucial for improving our public health response
It also highlighted the need of comprehending how this variant might vary from strains that were previously in circulation.
