The United Kingdom on Wednesday reported four cases of a new mpox variant in what is the first time the variant has caused a cluster of illness outside of Africa.
The New Cases
Authorities reported the first case of the new mpox strain in the U.K. last week, stating that a patient is receiving treatment at a London hospital following recent travel to African countries that are experiencing active outbreaks.
The U.K. Health Security Agency announced this week that three additional cases have been identified within the same household as the initial patient. These individuals are also receiving treatment at a London hospital.
“Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household,” Susan Hopkins, the chief medical advisor of the U.K. Health Security Agency, said following the reported new cases.
The new mpox variant, first detected in eastern Congo earlier this year, is believed by scientists to cause milder, less noticeable symptoms, making it easier for the virus to spread undetected. Its transmission in Congo and other parts of Africa led the World Health Organization to declare a global emergency in August.
Mpox Outbreak
During a 2022 outbreak that spread across more than 100 countries, the U.K. reported over 3,000 cases of a different mpox strain.
The new mpox variant has fueled outbreaks in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, while isolated cases have also been reported among travelers in Sweden, India, Germany and Thailand.
So far, Africa has reported approximately 43,000 suspected mpox cases, with over 1,000 fatalities, most of them in Congo.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, drew global attention in 2022 during an outbreak that affected the U.S., Europe, Australia and many other countries. The virus comes in two distinct forms or “clades”—clade I and clade II—and spreads through close contact.
Mpox Vaccines
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday that it has distributed 899,900 vaccine doses to nine African countries battling mpox outbreaks.
The WHO declared mpox to be a “public health emergency of international concern” in August as cases across Africa continue to surge.
In September, the mpox vaccine used in the U.S. was been added to the WHO’s prequalification list, the first time one has received this approval.
According to the WHO, the approval is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to mpox vaccines in the communities where they are most needed to help reduce the spread of the virus.
“This first prequalification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa, and in future,” WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a September statement.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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