Britain Reports First Case of New Mpox Variant Clade Ib

The UK has identified its first case of the mpox variant clade Ib, after an individual traveled to affected regions in Africa. Despite this, the UK's health authority says the risk remains low. The case follows outbreaks in regions including Africa and Europe, with close contacts being monitored.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Wednesday that Britain has detected its first case of the new mpox variant, clade Ib, though officials assure that the risk to the general population is low.

This new clade was flagged as a global health emergency by the World Health Organization in August, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to nearby African nations. The infected individual had recently visited affected areas in Africa and is now receiving specialized care in a London hospital, UKHSA reported.

Authorities are closely monitoring those who have been in contact with the patient. So far, cases of this variant have surfaced in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, as well as countries outside Africa like Sweden, India, and Germany. Notably different from clade II, which predominantly affected men who have sex with men globally in 2022, mpox is generally a mild viral infection but can be fatal in some cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)