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LONDON, UK – April 8, 2025 – Health officials in the United Kingdom are currently investigating a case of the mpox variant clade 1b detected in an individual residing in northeastern England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced Monday. What makes this case notable is that the patient has no reported history of travel to affected regions nor any known contact with other individuals infected with the virus.
Efforts are now underway to determine the source of the infection for this individual. According to the UKHSA, all previously confirmed mpox cases within the country had identifiable links, either through travel to areas where the virus is circulating or through contact with someone who had travelled.
Despite the unexplained nature of this latest case, UKHSA Mpox Incident Director Gillian Armstrong reassured the public, stating that the “risk to the UK population from mpox remains low.”
Mpox, a viral illness related to smallpox, presents with symptoms such as fever, a distinctive skin rash often progressing to pus-filled blisters, swollen lymph nodes, and general body aches. The virus has two primary subtypes: clade 1, which historically has affected children more significantly, and clade 2.
The global health community previously faced a significant outbreak of clade 2 mpox, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men in Europe and the United States. This led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022. Thanks to vaccination campaigns and increased awareness, the outbreak was brought under control, and the WHO lifted the emergency declaration in May 2023, after approximately 87,400 cases and 140 deaths were reported worldwide.
However, since 2024, attention has shifted to an epidemic involving clade 1 and a newly identified strain, clade 1b, spreading widely within the Democratic Republic of Congo. This newer strain has subsequently been detected in neighbouring African nations including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Imported cases of clade 1b have also been confirmed in countries outside Africa, such as Sweden, India, Thailand, Germany, and the UK.
According to UKHSA data released prior to this recent case, fewer than 10 cases of mpox clade 1b had been confirmed in England between October 2024 and February 13, 2025.
The investigation into the source of this latest, unexplained infection is ongoing.
Disclaimer: This news article is based on information provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) as of April 7, 2025 (publication date noted in source text is © 2025 AFP, article generated April 8, 2025). The situation may evolve, and this report may not reflect the absolute latest developments.
