Another case of the potentially deadly Clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced. The case was detected in Leeds and the individual is now under specialist care at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
They had recently returned from Uganda, which is seeing community transmission of Clade Ib mpox. This is the fifth case of Clade Ib mpox confirmed in England in recent weeks. This case has no links to the previous cases identified. All four previous cases were from the same household and all have now fully recovered.
Clade 1 mpox is associated with a higher risk of severe illness or death than clade 2 mpox. A 2022 review found that clade 1 had a case fatality rate (CFR) of 10.6%, compared to 3.6% for clade 2.
Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: “It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case.
“The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.”
Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in Canada, Sweden, India, Thailand and Germany.
There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.