UK health chiefs say they are making plans in case a new type of mpox virus is detected in the country, but stress the risk is low.
This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that the outbreaks in West and Central Africa constitute a global health emergency.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a contagious virus that can cause painful skin lesions.
Plans are being drawn up to ensure UK healthcare workers know the key signs to look out for and have rapid tests available.
A case of mpox It has also been detected in Sweden after a person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where the disease is spreading.
One of the main reasons why the WHO called for global action against mpox is the emergence of a new type of virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), known as Clade 1b.
This type of mpox has been detected in a growing number of African countries over the past year and there are concerns that it can sometimes cause serious illness and death.
Mpox has killed at least 450 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
There are currently no confirmed cases of Clade 1b mpox in the UK, but experts say cases could spread if international action is not taken.
Dr Meera Chand, deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “The risk to the UK population is currently considered to be low.
“However, plans are being made to prepare for any cases we may see in the UK.
“This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware of and able to recognise cases quickly, 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.”
The disease, formally known as monkeypox, can be transmitted through close contact with any infected person or through infected bedding and surfaces, for example.
Common symptoms usually include a rash or pus-filled lesions that can last two to four weeks, fever, headache, and muscle aches.
Symptoms usually disappear within two weeks, but they can be fatal, especially for people with weakened immune systems.
Children and pregnant women may also be at higher risk.
In 2022, the WHO declared a separate outbreak of Clade 2 mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern.
This measure was lifted in May 2023 after cases declined.
It has spread to nearly 100 countries where the virus is not normally present, including some in Europe and Asia.
In May 2022, there was a large outbreak in the UK, mainly affecting men who have sex with men.
A vaccination campaign helped reduce its spread.
UKHSA figures suggest that 3,732 confirmed and highly probable cases have been reported in the UK by the end of 2022.
As of July this year, some 239 cases have been reported.
Of these, 225 were in England, and 98 patients are believed to have contracted the virus in the UK and 74 outside the country. Testing is ongoing.
