UK doctors are put on alert over spread of deadly new variant of mpox virus - after WHO declared global health emergency following outbreak in Africa The 'lethal' new Clade has been detected in Europe following Africa outbreak By Shaun Wooller Health Editor and Cameron Roy and James Reynolds Published: 23:58, 16 August 2024 | Updated: 00:01, 17 August 2024 e-mail View comments Health officials have ordered doctors to look out for cases of mpox as a deadly strain was confirmed to have reached Europe. The World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency – its highest alert – after an outbreak in Africa. The first case outside the continent was detected in Sweden , prompting the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to raise its risk level.
Experts said the new strain is 'more severe' with 'higher mortality' than the one that sparked panic in 2022. The UK Health Security Agency said no cases have yet been detected and the risk to the population is 'low'. Rapid testing is being made available and GPs and hospitals have been told to isolate those with symptoms.
The Government is said to have enough vaccines and treatments to deal with an outbreak. Christian Musema, a laboratory nurse, takes a sample from a child declared a suspected case of Mpox at the treatment centre in Munigi, Democratic Republic of the Congo The first case outside the continent was detected in Sweden , prompting the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to raise its ri.