First case of more dangerous monkeypox strain Mpox Clade 1 found in England

The UK Health Security Agency has recorded what it says is the first case of a more dangerous type of mpox in the UK.

Mpox Clade 1 has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months, and a case has now been detected in England, with the person became infected having recently travelled to an affected area.

At least 450 people died during an initial outbreak in the country and the disease has since spread to areas of Central and East Africa, and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

Mpox, which was previously known as monkeypox, is transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.

It causes flu-like symptoms, skin lesions and can be fatal, with four in 100 cases leading to death. It is most common in the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa and there are thousands of infections every year.

The newer and more serious type of mpox, Clade 1b, known as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID), was identified in September last year.

Public Health Scotland is working closely with NHS boards in Scotland, to monitor the situation and prepare for any cases that could arise in the country.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting, said: “I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

“The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

“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.”

Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said: “The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

“Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.”