'Surprising' New Case of Mpox Variant Clade lb Detected in England
The clade lb variant has been linked to the global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August and remains under close observation by public health authorities.
LONDON, April 8 — A new case of the mpox variant clade lb has been identified in northeast England, marking a surprising development as the individual has no travel history or known contact with previously confirmed cases, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Monday.
The case was diagnosed in March, and authorities have traced all known contacts without detecting any further infections. While the risk to the public remains low, investigations are underway to determine how the virus was transmitted.
Jonas Albarnaz from the Pirbright Institute called the case "surprising", noting that previous infections typically involved international travel or close contact with an infected individual. He suggested the virus was likely transmitted through direct contact with skin lesions or contaminated surfaces.
The clade lb variant has been linked to the global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August and remains under close observation by public health authorities.
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