Fears new highly contagious mpox strain silently running rampant in UK after case with no travel history

A FRESH case of the mutant strain of mpox has been detected in England in a person with no travel history or links to other cases.

The new infection raises fears the virus is silently running rampant in the UK.

Health chiefs continue to insist the risk to the British public “remains low”.

The unidentified person living in the North East of England is the 11th confirmed case of the new clade 1b variant in the UK, following the first case back in the autumn.

All 10 previous cases were people who had either recently returned from Africa or been in close contact with someone who had.

“The detection of clade 1b mpox in the UK without any known travel history or reported links to prior confirmed cases is concerning because it suggests possible undetected community transmission,” Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern, told The Telegraph.

“This means the virus may already be circulating locally, beyond the scope of current surveillance efforts.”

“It also raises concerns about the potential for undetected spread amongst asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic individuals,” Dr Kuppalli added. 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed on Monday it has launched a full investigation to uncover how the person contracted the new bug.

The health body said the person was diagnosed with clade 1b mpox in March – no other cases have yet been identified.

People have previously been diagnosed in London, Leeds and East Sussex.

Twelve new mpox vaccination sites have been opened by the NHS across England in a bid to ramp up protection against the virus.

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Clade 1b sprouted from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in November 2023.

Since then, it has infected more than 25,000 people and is responsible for more than 1,000 deaths.

This variant is different from those circulating in the UK since 2022, with experts suggesting it might be more contagious.

At one point, there were concerns it could lead to more severe symptoms, but so far, there’s no evidence to back that up.

Currently, symptoms include a lumpy rash with skin blisters, lesions, fever, aches, and, in some cases, death.

It has also been linked to dangerous complications for pregnant people including miscarriage.

‘It can be severe for some’

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that mostly spreads through close contact with people who are infected, primarily during sex.

But it can also be transmitted by talking or breathing close to another person.

“While mpox infection is mild for many, it can be severe for some and UKHSA is committed to preventing its spread within the UK,” said Dr Gillian Armstrong, from the UKHSA, said.

“Regardless of whether you have travelled or not, it is important to remain alert to the risks,” Dr Gillian added.

The World Health Organsation (WHO) declared a ‘global health emergency‘ earlier this year due to clade 1b’s rapid spread to neighbouring countries in Africa.

The new bug has been detected in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, India and Thailand in people who had travelled to infected regions.

[boxout headline=”Can I get the jab?” featured-image=”34221085″ intro=”Twelve new mpox vaccination sites have opened across England, making it easier for eligible people to get protected.”][/boxout]