The United Kingdom has reported a new case of the mpox virus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to four. The most recent case involves a household contact of the first confirmed infection, which was detected in London on October 30. This initial case involved an individual who had recently traveled to Africa, where mpox is more prevalent. The new case marks the third locally transmitted infection in the country since the initial detection.
The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that the patient is receiving specialist care, and authorities have reassured the public that the risk to the population remains low. Despite this, the virus is known to spread easily within households due to close contact, which is why further cases in the same household are not unexpected.
Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, emphasized the highly infectious nature of mpox in household settings. The agency has been monitoring the situation closely, given the relatively small number of cases and the fact that the current risk to the broader population remains low. However, the situation remains under observation to prevent any wider spread.
In Europe, only a few cases of the new and more deadly variant of mpox, clade Ib, have been reported. This variant has been linked to a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding regions. Individual cases have also been confirmed in Sweden and Germany, though the spread remains limited at this time.
