London: 2 additional clade 1b mpox cases reported in household contacts of 1st case
In a follow-up on the clade 1b mpox case in London, England, UK health officials report two additional cases of clade Ib mpox have been detected in household contacts of the first case, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3.
The individuals are currently being treated at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
Contacts of all 3 cases are being followed up by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and partner organizations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:
Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household.
The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.