In response to outbreaks in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a worldwide emergency, putting UK health officials on high alert as they get ready for possible cases of a novel strain of Mpox. Since its first discovery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2023, the strain—known as clade 1b—has spread to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, among other nations. Despite the fact that no instances of this strain have been found in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared that there is still little risk to the country’s citizens.
However, preventative actions are being taken, such as raising physician awareness, guaranteeing prompt testing, and creating guidelines for safe clinical treatment and transmission avoidance. Previously called Monkeypox, Mpox is a viral disease that is spread by intimate personal contact and frequently results in flu-like symptoms as well as the disease’s signature pus-filled skin blisters. While usually moderate, the illness can be serious or even deadly, especially in young children, expectant mothers, and people with weakened immune systems.
Nations worldwide are tackling the Mpox pandemic in different ways.
According to the International Health Regulations (2005) in 2024, the recent outbreaks were deemed a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus. This follows the July 2022 PHEIC declaration that was lifted in May 2023 as a result of a notable drop in cases worldwide. The Chief Medical Advisor at the UKHSA, Dr. Susan Hopkins, stressed the need for alertness, saying, “We must remain alert to the evolving situation and ensure our healthcare systems are prepared to identify and manage any potential cases swiftly.”
Experts in infectious diseases, such as Professor Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia, have also drawn attention to the virus’s capacity for adaptation and spread, stating that “continuous surveillance is essential, even though the current risk to the UK is low due to viruses like Mpox that can change rapidly.” Nations throughout the world are tackling the Mpox pandemic in different ways. As European nations like Germany and France have put in place focused testing and isolation methods to stop the spread, the United States has increased its immunization and public health efforts, concentrating on populations that are more susceptible.
The first known human case happened in Congo in 1970.
International health organizations are providing assistance to African countries impacted by the clade 1b strain in order to improve their diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. The public should avoid close physical contact with people who have visible lesions, practice excellent hygiene, and exercise caution in regions where the virus is known to be circulating in order to prevent contracting Mpox. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to Mpox is advised by the UKHSA to self-isolate and get in touch with medical professionals. High-risk individuals can also receive vaccinations, especially if they were involved in the 2022 outbreak.
Epidemics of Mpox have historically been localized to West Africa and Central Africa and have been quite rare. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first known human case happened in 1970. With just a little amount of human-to-human transmission in the decades that followed, the virus was primarily passed from animals to people. Nevertheless, in 2022, a major outbreak that mostly affected men who had sex with men occurred outside of Africa, changing the landscape.
Related Article: Nigeria takes Precaution over Mpox Outbreak
As a result, numerous nations launched major vaccination campaigns, and an international response was organized to stop the spread. In the past, these approaches have usually included a mix of focused immunization programs, contact tracing, and case isolation. The efficiency of these methods was proved by the global drop in Mpox cases by 2023; nevertheless, the introduction of the clade 1b strain has raised concerns about the virus’s ability to create significant outbreaks in new places.