New Mpox Cases Detected in Britain
Health authorities in Britain have reported two new cases of mpox, a variant of the virus that has caused a severe outbreak in central Africa. Despite the detection of these cases, officials assert that the overall risk of rapid transmission within the country remains low.
Both individuals diagnosed with the virus had close contact with a confirmed case in Britain from the previous week. In response, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has made mpox vaccinations available to all three affected individuals, who are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in London. In a statement released on Monday, the agency emphasized the importance of monitoring the situation.
Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser for the UKHSA, commented on the nature of the disease, stating, “Mpox is highly infectious in households where close contact occurs, so it is not surprising to observe additional cases arising within the same household.”
Historically, mpox—previously known as monkeypox—has been endemic in parts of West and Central Africa for over five decades. However, a significant outbreak emerged in 2022, leading to the virus spreading to Europe, the United States, and various other regions worldwide.
Fortunately, the outbreak began to decline through late 2022, and since then, there has been a relatively low incidence of mpox cases in Britain and across Europe. Nonetheless, the variant identified in the newly reported cases poses a heightened risk.
The specific subtype known as Clade Ia has resulted in over 30,000 infections and at least 990 fatalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of the year, according to the World Health Organization. Alarmingly, UNICEF reports that more than half of the new mpox cases in Congo are among children, highlighting the urgent need for public health interventions.
