One case of non-travel related Mpox confirmed by UKHSA

A confirmed case of Mpox, specifically the novel clade 1b variant, has been recorded in the United Kingdom. The affected individual, whose identity remains confidential, resides in the North East region and constitutes the twelfth confirmed case of the new clade 1b variant of Mpox in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified the infection in a person with no history of travel to at-risk areas and no known links to previous cases. An investigation is underway to determine the origin of the patient’s infection. The diagnosis occurred in March, and all contacts of the infected individual have been monitored; the UKHSA reports that no further cases have been identified. The emergence of this new strain has raised concerns regarding potential undetected transmission within the UK despite public health surveillance efforts. This concern is supported by Krutika Kuppalli, Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern. The UKHSA has asserted that the risk to the general population of the United Kingdom remains minimal. It is noteworthy that clades Ia and Ib Mpox are no longer classified as high-risk infectious diseases (HCID).