Health officials have reported two additional cases of a new strain of the mpox virus in London. These individuals are household contacts of the initial patient and are now receiving specialized care at Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.
All three patients have been infected with the Clade 1b variant of mpox, which was first identified in central Africa. This variant appears to have a higher transmission rate between individuals.
Prof. Susan Hopkins, the chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), emphasized that mpox, formally known as monkeypox, could spread rapidly within households. She noted that further cases were “not unexpected”:
“The overall risk to the UK population remains low.”
The UKHSA is actively working to identify and contact all individuals who may have been exposed to these cases in order to mitigate the risk of additional spread. Those exposed will be offered testing and vaccination as necessary.
Mpox is primarily transmitted through close physical contact, and transmission within a household does not imply the virus has spread into the broader community in the UK.
Last week, the UKHSA reported the first case of Clade 1b mpox in London involving a patient who had recently traveled to one of the affected countries in Africa. The patient began experiencing symptoms 24 hours after returning home, with flu-like symptoms emerging on October 22 and a rash appearing two days later.
An mpox rash typically consists of pus-filled lesions that can last for up to a month. Other common symptoms include fever, headaches, and low energy. Laboratory tests confirmed that this infection was indeed of the Clade 1b variant, which has raised significant concern due to its increased ability for person-to-person transmission through physical contact, including sexual activity.
The World Health Organization declared mpox a global health emergency during the summer months. In Africa, countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Burundi, and Rwanda have reported cases of this new Clade 1b strain this year.
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