Mpox has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), but how many cases are there in the UK right now?
A new strain is spreading across Africa at an alarming rate, with it having originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is the second time in three years that the WHO has designated an mpox epidemic as a global emergency.
The number of cases reported so far this year has already exceeded last year's total, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths according to the WHO, Sky News reports.
The emergence of a new clade of #mpox, its rapid spread in eastern #DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 14, 2024
On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international… pic.twitter.com/u2DSV6fitj
The viral disease occurs mostly in central and western Africa, with the latest outbreak in the continent beginning with the spread of an endemic strain known as Clade 1.
The new variant that has emerged, known as Clade 1b, appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children.
How many cases of mpox are there in the UK right now?
According to the Government website, there have been a total of 286 cases of mpox reported in the UK during 2023 and 2024.
Of these, 269 were in England, 11 were in Scotland, five in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.
It is likely all these cases were related to previous outbreaks of mpox and not the new variant Clade 1b.
Mpox (formerly monkeypox) signs and symptoms
According to the NHS, it can take between five and 21 days for symptoms to appear after you first get infected with mpox.
Symptoms include:
- a high temperature
- a headache
- muscle aches
- backache
- swollen glands
- shivering (chills)
- exhaustion
- joint pain
🚨WHO Director-General @DrTedros has determined that the upsurge of #mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (#DRC) & a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations… https://t.co/xIq0LwWfjW
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 14, 2024
A rash, which is sometimes confused with chickenpox, usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. This can include the mouth, genitals, and anus.
The disease spreads through close contact with infected people, including via sex.
Recommended reading:
How to protect yourself
Clean your hands regularly with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
Know the symptoms if you’re sexually active, especially with new partners. Talk to partners about their sexual health and remember symptoms can take three weeks to develop, so keep checking yourself.
Swap contact details if hooking up with someone new.
If you have symptoms, take a break from all intimate contact (including kissing) until you’ve seen a doctor and had the all-clear. If you’re recovering from an mpox infection, remember to use condoms for 12 weeks as a precaution.
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