UK preparing for mpox outbreak after first case is confirmed in Europe

The UK is preparing for a mpox outbreak after a first case was confirmed in Europe, with officials saying planning is ‘under way’.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the situation a global health emergency after more than 500 deaths, calling for ‘international help to stop the virus’ from spreading.

WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “This is something that should concern us all … The potential for further spread beyond Africa is very worrying.”

First European case confirmed

A day later, Sweden confirmed it has recorded its first case, saying the person became infected during a stay in Africa.

Sweden's Health minister Jakob Forssmed told a news conference on Thursday that the case was the ‘more grave’ clade 1 strain.

The Africa CDC previously said that mpox has been detected in 13 countries this year, and that more than 96 percent of all cases and deaths are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Are there any cases of mpox in the UK?

The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that there have been no cases of the virus in the UK.

However, Dr Meera Chand, a UKHSA deputy director, explained that the nation is now making preparations.

The first European case was confirmed in Sweden (Getty Stock Image)

Chand said: “The risk to the UK population is currently considered low. However, planning is under way 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.”

What is mpox?

Mpox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus.

The illness begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, back ache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and/or joint pain.

Within 1-5 days, after a fever breaks out, a rash then develops – usually starting on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, including soles of the feet and palms of the hand.

How does mpox spread?

The UK government advises that it does spread easily between people unless there is ‘very close contact’.

“Spread of mpox may occur when a person comes into close contact with an infected animal (rodents are believed to be the primary animal reservoir for transmission to humans), human, or materials contaminated with the virus,” it says.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the situation a global health emergency (Getty Stock Images)

The virus is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, breathing it in through the respiratory tract, or via contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, genitals).

Person-to-person spread may occur through:

• Direct contact with skin lesions or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or other skin-to-skin contact)
• Coughing or sneezing of someone who has mpox when they’re close to you
• Contact with clothing or linens (such as bedding or towels) used by someone with mpox

Should we be worried about mpox in the UK?

As Chand noted, the risk to the UK population is currently considered ‘low’.

According to the UKHSA, up to 31 December 2022 there had been 3,732 confirmed and highly probable mpox cases reported in the UK.

In 2023, and up to 31 July this year, there have been a total of 286 reported cases.