The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared outbreaks of the virus in Africa to be a public health emergency, and UK health experts are bracing for any possible cases of a new strain of the virus.
Sweden said on Thursday it had confirmed a first case of a contagious new variant of mpox.
The strain, Clade 1b, first appeared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year.
The UK Health Security Agency said there were no recorded cases of the virus in the UK. Dr Meera Chand, a UKHSA deputy director, said: “The risk to the UK population is currently considered low. However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK.
“This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and the prevention of onward transmission.”
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare infection that is transferred by intimate physical contact.
The virus is typically mild but can be fatal, and involves pus-filled sores as well as flu-like symptoms. Individuals with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and children are more susceptible to problems.
Before the spring of 2022, travel to or from nations where mpox is an endemic - especially those in west or central Africa - was typically linked to cases in the UK.
However, the UK saw a significant outbreak in the UK in May 2022, mostly affecting men who have sex with men. That summer saw the start of a vaccination campaign in the UK, which ran until July 2023.Up till December 31, 2022, 3,732 confirmed and highly probable cases of mpox were reported in the UK, according to the UKHSA. Up till July 31 of this year, 286 instances were documented in 2023: 269 of them were in England, 116 were thought to have contracted the virus domestically, and 82 were abroad.
There have been a lot of myths circulating with the rise of mpox, so here are a few we’ve debunked.
Myth#1 - Mpox is a new disease
The mpox virus was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys, and the first human cases were reported in the 1970s, according to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Amy Spallone.
In November 2022, the World Health Organisation formally changed the name to mpox in an effort to lessen stigma and prejudice.The latest outbreak is distinct in a few ways. Previously, mpox was mostly transmitted from animals -mostly rodents- to humans, but, these days, human-to-human transmission predominates.
Myth#2 - Mpox comes from monkeys
Despite its name, mpox is not exclusive to monkeys.
The virus can be carried by various animals, including rodents and other primates. Understanding this helps prevent stigmatisation and ensures people take appropriate precautions, regardless of the animals they encounter.
Myth#3 - Mpox is related to COVID-19
The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is unrelated to mpox. Although both of them are viruses, the respiratory pathogen SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family.
On the other hand, smallpox and mpox belong to a totally different virus family called the Orthopoxvirus genus, according to Dr Spallone.
Myth#4 - Mpox is the same as smallpox
Although they are similar, the viruses that cause smallpox and mpox are different, says Doctor Aayushi Singh Chauhan.
Due to the high death rate of smallpox and the effective use of vaccines, the disease was completely eradicated worldwide.
Conversely, mpox tends to be less severe and has a lower death rate. It is not as fatal as smallpox, even though it can result in severe discomfort and, in rare instances, complications. The mpox is less severe because of the smallpox vaccination, which offers some degree of protection against it.
Myth#5 - Only a handful of people have contracted mpox
The WHO has reported that since 2022, at least 99,176 cases and 208 fatalities from mpox have been documented across 116 countries.
Myth#6 - Mpox is a sexually transmitted disease
Any form of close contact, such as kissing, touching, or having penetrating vaginal or anal sex with an infectious person, might transfer the mpox virus. The most vulnerable are those who have sex with several or new partners, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Myth#7 - Only gay men can get mpox
Anyone can get mpox. The virus does not discriminate against a person’s sexual orientation, ethnicity or gender.
