UK Reports Eighth Case of Mpox Variant

The UK has confirmed an eighth case of the clade Ib variant of mpox, with health authorities announcing the detection on Friday, Anadolu Agency reported. The new patient, who recently returned from Uganda—where community transmission of the variant is ongoing—is currently receiving care at the Royal Free Hospital’s High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit in London.

The UK Health Security Agency emphasized that the risk to the UK population remains low, although they anticipate occasional imported cases. Close contacts of the infected individual have been identified and provided with guidance to mitigate further spread.

This latest case follows the report of the seventh case just days earlier. Mpox, caused by a virus related to smallpox, is marked by high fever and skin lesions. In 2022, outbreaks occurred in over 70 countries, prompting the World Health Organization to declare it a public health emergency. The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to be the most affected, with over 49,000 suspected cases and 1,100 confirmed deaths since January 2024.