"New Case Of Mpox Detected In The UK After 'Concerning' Surge In Cases In Uganda" - Manchester Evening News

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/new-case-mpox-detected-uk-30876004

 

A new case of Mpox has been confirmed in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

The latest case of Clade Ib Mpox is the seventh confirmed case since October 2024 after a sixth patient was admitted to hospital last week.

The UKHSA says the infected patient had recently travelled to Uganda and that the risk to the UK population "remains low". The UKHSA and NHS says it will not be disclosing any further details about the infected person.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: "The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread."

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare infection most commonly found in parts of central and east Africa.

There is currently community transmission of the virus in Uganda, which has so far recorded 2,209 confirmed Mpox cases and 13 deaths since July 2024.

The Clade Ib variant is a new form of the virus, the which the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared as a global health emergency in August.

WHO says common symptoms of Mpox include a skin rash or lesions which can last two to four weeks, as well as a fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

The NHS says Mpox can be passed on from person to person through:

Close physical contact with Mpox blisters or scabs

Touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with Mpox

The coughs or sneezes of a person with Mpox when they're close to you