UK Sees First Case of Rare Mpox ‘Clade 1b’ Strain: What You Need to Know About the Congo-Borne Infection
- A new type of Mpox, a rapidly spreading virus in Africa, has reached the UK.
- The infected individual, whose age and gender have not been disclosed, contracted the virus while staying in an area of Africa where the infection is prevalent.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this new strain a "public health emergency of international concern" due to its potential to cause severe illness.
Mpox Outbreak: UK Confirms First Case of New Virus Strain
A new type of Mpox, a rapidly spreading virus in Africa, has reached the UK. The British government has confirmed the first case of this new strain, a clade 1b virus known to cause severe illness. This marks the first time this particular strain has been detected in the UK.
The infected individual, whose age and gender have not been disclosed, contracted the virus while staying in an area of Africa where the infection is prevalent. They received treatment at a hospital in London.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this new strain a “public health emergency of international concern” due to its potential to cause severe illness. This strain is more likely to cause serious illness than the one prevalent in 2022.
Outside of Africa, infections with this new strain have been reported in several countries, including Sweden, Germany, and Thailand.