Brits have been urged to remain cautious as a new case of a highly contagious strain of mpox has been confirmed in England. This is the fifth instance of the Clade Ib variant detected in the UK amid the current outbreak.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the case was detected in Leeds and the affected person is now under specialist care at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is believed they contracted the disease while in Uganda.
It comes as four cases of Clade Ib were previously discovered in the same household in England. These cases have now “fully recovered”.
Speaking about this latest case, Professor Susan Hopkins – chief medical adviser at the UKHSA – said: “It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case.
“The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.”
The Clade Ib variant of mpox, which was previously known as monkeypox, has caused concern across the globe this year following an outbreak in Africa.
This strain of the disease differs from Clade II, a variant which has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022.
Symptoms of mpox can include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last two to four weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
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But it can be severe and even fatal in vulnerable people including in those with weakened immune systems, young children and pregnant women. This most recent outbreak of this strain is thought to have started in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa, where 5,399 cases and 25 deaths were reported in the first nine months of 2024.
In October it was revealed that the number of suspected cases of mpox in Africa this year stood at 42,438, with 8,113 confirmed, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
And at least 1,000 mpox deaths have been reported in Africa, leading the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a global health emergency for the second time in two years. Other cases of Clade Ib have also been reported in Germany, Sweden, Thailand and India.
The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. The UKHSA warns that anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.
Symptoms
If you get infected with mpox, it usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear, the NHS says.
The first symptoms of mpox include:
- A high temperature (fever)
- A headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Swollen glands
- Shivering (chills)
- Exhaustion
- Joint pain
A rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms. It can be on any part of the body, including the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, mouth, genitals and anus. You may also have anal pain or bleeding from your bottom.
The rash is sometimes confused with chickenpox. It starts as raised spots, which turn into sores (ulcers) or small blisters filled with fluid. The blisters eventually form scabs which later fall off.
