A new case of the most dangerous mpox variant clade lb has been detected in Britain, marking the eighth instance since October last year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.
The London patient has no links to the seven previous cases identified in the country, health officials said.
The case was identified in a person who had recently returned from Uganda, where community transmission of the variant is currently occurring.
The UKHSA maintains that the risk to the UK population remains low, despite this latest case.
Health experts have described the clade 1b mutation as "the most dangerous one so far"
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The clade 1b variant has been identified as a new form of the virus and is linked to a global health emergency declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in August.
Professor Susan Hopkins, UKHSA chief medical advisor, emphasised the low risk to the general public.
The variant has been circulating in several African countries in recent months, with imported cases detected across multiple nations including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the US.
Health experts have described the clade 1b mutation as "the most dangerous one so far", though no deaths have been reported in the UK.
The UKHSA is now working to determine how the latest patient became infected with the virus.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
12 new mpox vaccination sites across England were opened
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"In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK," the UKHSA stated.
Symptoms of mpox typically appear between five and 21 days after infection and include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue, followed by a distinctive rash that begins on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.
Those most at risk include close contacts of infected individuals, household members, sexual partners, healthcare workers and people with weakened immune systems.
Individuals who have recently travelled to central or east Africa, where mpox outbreaks are occurring, face a higher risk of infection.
The case was identified in a person who had recently returned from Uganda
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The illness typically lasts between two to four weeks and while generally mild, can be severe in some cases.
The new case comes as the NHS ramps up its efforts to protect Britons from the virus, by opening 12 new mpox vaccination sites across England.
From this week, people in every region of England will now have access to the jab, aimed at those most at risk of contracting the infection.
Previously, the vaccine was only available to eligible individuals in London, Manchester, and Brighton.
