'Pay attention!' Virologist warns new strain of mpox 'likely' spreading in the UK is '10 times more deadly'

Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It causes fluid-filled skin lesions, which can be painful, and, in severe cases, death.

The new strain of mpox, known as Clade 1, emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year, according to WHO.

In April of this year, researchers determined that the Clade I variant, also called Clade Ib, seems to spread effectively between people through means including sexual contact.

Since then it has surged in Central Africa, affecting locations including Bukavu, a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that has more than one million residents, and four countries in the region have reported mpox infections for the first time.

Now, the first human case in Europe has been confirmed. Swedish health officials said a patient sought healthcare in Stockholm and is understood to have been infected during a visit to Africa.

Currently, there are no cases of Clade 1 mpox confirmed in the UK but Professor Paul Hunter told Sky News it is “very likely” that the virus is spreading undetected.

How worried should we be?

In an exclusive interview with GB News, Assistant Professor Brian Labu of the University of Nevada Las Vegas says there are two reasons to be concerned about the spread of Clade 1.

Firstly, the one that we dealt with before - Clade 2 - resulted in a much milder disease, he says, with the death rate hovering around 0.2 per cent.

"Clade 1 is ten times that so it's a more serious threat than the one we have dealt with previously so we need to pay attention," he told your correspondent.

How mpox has previously spread is also breeding complacency, the professor fears. As he explains, the 2022 outbreak was mainly confined to men who had sex with other men.

People outside this group therefore tended to assume it wouldn't affect them but mpox does not spread exclusively among homosexual men and it's "bleeding out" to other groups, he warns.

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Research shows that Clade 1 is primarily spreading through heterosexual populations.

How is the UK preparing?

Officials said there are currently no cases in the UK and the risk to the population is low.

However, the UK is preparing for any potential cases by ensuring clinicians are aware of mpox and able to recognise cases promptly.

Rapid testing is also being made available, while protocols are being developed for the safe care of potential patients to prevent transmission.

Health officials are reportedly stockpiling vials of mpox vaccines to contain a potential outbreak on UK shores.