New deadly mpox strain may have already reached UK, experts warn, but say there's no need to be worried yet

17 August 2024, 18:18 | Updated: 17 August 2024, 18:20

A new deadly strain of the mpox virus - formerly known as monkeypox - may have already reached the UK, experts have warned.

The first case of a new infectious strain of the disease has already been detected in Europe after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared outbreaks in Africa a global emergency.

Experts said the new strain is “associated with a more severe disease and higher mortality rates” than the one that caused the global mpox outbreak in 2022.

Dr Liz Whittaker, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Consultant and Lead for High Consequence Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London, told LBC that mpox "can be very serious" but under the current situation "there's no need for anxiety".

The expert explained that the virus was a "really nasty infection" that "presents with a very painful puss-filled rash all over the body" and "a flu-like illness".

She said most people will experience the uncomfortable symptoms without being in any further danger. But she warned that for a small group of people, the virus can affect the brain and lungs, making the contraction vastly more concerning.

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"For some people it's very severe, for most its a very painful flue and rash-like illness," she told LBC.

Dr Whittaker said it was important for governments and health bodies to "keep an eye on" the threat of mpox but we should not be "desperately worried at the moment".

She said the latest variant of mpox is thought to be less severe but it was vitally important that the UK be ready should there be any cases.

"There's no need for anxiety, particularly in Europe and the UK at the moment. It's more that on an international scale that we're appropriately sending what we can to support the containment in those countries" that have already recorded cases, she warned.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert, also told Sky News that it was "very likely" someone in the UK already has the new variant.

He said it probably wouldn't be confirmed for a few weeks until the patient zero presents with symptoms and visits a doctor.

"When someone gets an infection it typically takes several days before they develop the classic appearance that would make people think 'oh, this is mpox'," Prof Hunter told the channel.

"Then it can take longer before the samples are taken and sent to the lab, it's identified as mpox and sent for sequencing so we know which clade of mpox it is."

What is the new strain and what risk does it pose to the UK?

The new strain of mpox is known as clade 1b and it emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year, according to WHO.

The disease is now rapidly spreading to neighbouring countries in Africa, mainly through sexual networks, WHO said, with one case confirmed in Europe.

Where was the first European case detected?

Swedish health officials announced that there has been one confirmed case of clade 1b on Thursday.

The country’s public health agency said a patient sought healthcare in Stockholm and is understood to have been infected during a visit to Africa.

What do UK health officials say?

Before the case in Sweden was announced, and following the declaration of clade 1b as a global emergency by the WHO, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was on alert for any cases of the virus.

Officials said there are currently no cases in the UK and the risk to the population is low. However, the UK is preparing for any potential cases by ensuring clinicians are aware of mpoxand able to recognise cases promptly.

Rapid testing is also being made available, while protocols are being developed for the safe care of potential patients to prevent transmission.

Why has the WHO declared a global emergency?

Mpox was first detected in humans in the DRC in 1970 and is considered endemic to countries in Central and West Africa.

However, WHO said the recent surge of cases in DRC and its spread to neighbouring countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) on Wednesday.

According to WHO, mpox has been reported in DRC for more than 10 years, with the number of cases increasing steadily over the period.

So far in 2024, there have been more than 15,600 cases of mpox and 537 deaths, which the WHO said exceeds last year’s total.

There have also been 100 lab-confirmed cases of clade 1b in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.