A first case of mpox resulting from infection with the new clade 1b variant has been discovered in the United Kingdom.
- A first case of mpox caused by the new clade 1b variant has been identified in the United Kingdom.
- This virus is the cause of a significant epidemic in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries.
- In France, no cases of clade 1B variant infection have been detected.
After Sweden and Germany, the new Mpox variant, called clade 1b, was identified in the United Kingdom. The information was revealed by the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) on Wednesday October 30, 2024.
New Mpox variant: the case was identified in London
The agency indicates in its press release that a “only confirmed human case of clade 1b mpox” was spotted on British soil, more precisely in London. If the UKHSA provided little information on this patient, it specified that he had recently traveled to African countries affected by this variant.
All people who have been in contact with the patient infected with mpox clade 1b will be offered “a test and vaccination if necessary” And “will be advised on further care to be provided if they have symptoms or if the test is positive.
The organization also ensures that “the risk for the population remains low”. She adds that she works “in close collaboration” with the British Public Health Service (NHS) “and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health”.
Mpox clade 1B: no cases identified in France
Formerly called monkeypox, mpox circulates widely on the African continent. Two separate outbreaks have been identified. The first, caused by the clade 1 strain, is located in central Africa and mainly affects children. Its clade 1b variant occurs in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries. More virulent and contagious, it has mainly been spotted among adults.
In his latest epidemiological report published on October 30, 2024, Santé Publique France confirmed that clade 1b had not been spotted in France. All 195 cases of mpox reported to the health agency since January 1, 2024 concerned clade II viruses.
“Among the 151 cases reported, a trip to a foreign country during the three weeks preceding the onset of symptoms was reported by 37 of them (25%). The country most frequently visited was Spain. Only one case had traveled to a country in sub-Saharan Africa (Côte d’Ivoire).”
