The first British case of a potentially deadly variant of the MPOX virus has been discovered in London.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the risk to the UK population from the Clade Ib mpox variant “remains low”.
The person concerned was on holiday in Africa and traveled back to Great Britain on an overnight flight on October 21.
More than 24 hours later, they developed flu-like symptoms and on October 24 began developing a rash, which worsened over the following days.
The person attended the emergency department in London on October 27, where they were swabbed, tested and sent home to isolate while awaiting results.
They have now been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital’s infectious diseases department for treatment.
Fewer than 10 people believed to have come into contact with the patient were initially traced, the UKHSA said.
This concerns household contacts, although the UKHSA is “still” working on the number of people it may need to trace.
Mpox only spreads between people if there is close contact.