Mpox Clade 1b is the most dangerous, UKHSA warns

The United Kingdom has recently confirmed the first case of the most virulent variant of Mpox, namely Clade 1b. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that the patient – a case of infection that has been imported, that is to say, contracted abroad – is currently hospitalised in the high-risk infectious disease ward at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where he receives specialist care. The Mpox virus is classified within the genus Orthopoxvirus and exhibits two distinct types. Clade I is more dangerous, with a mortality rate exceeding 10%, while Clade II is less dangerous, with a mortality rate below 1% and milder symptoms. Despite the elevated risks associated with the Clade 1b variant of Mpox, Professor Susan Hopkins, Director of the UKHSA, has sought to reassure the public by emphasizing that the likelihood of Mpox Clade 1b transmission within the UK remains comparatively low. Hopkins stated that the case was handled expeditiously and that, due to the implementation of contact tracing, the potential for further infections to occur can be mitigated.