Health authorities in England have identified a newly evolved mpox variant after a person recently returned from Asia tested positive for the virus. Genomic sequencing revealed that the strain is a recombinant form, combining features of two circulating clades: clade 1, known for more severe disease, and clade 2, the less virulent type responsible for the 2022 global outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency stressed that further investigation is under way to determine whether the new strain poses any increased risk, but emphasised that viruses naturally evolve over time. Officials urged those eligible to get vaccinated as a precaution.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, spreads through close physical contact, contaminated materials such as bedding and clothing, or respiratory droplets. It can also be transmitted by infected animals. Symptoms, which may take up to three weeks to appear, include fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue and a characteristic rash.
The discovery highlights the importance of continued genomic monitoring, especially as both clade types are still circulating globally. The World Health Organization recorded almost 48,000 confirmed mpox cases and over 200 deaths worldwide this year up to October.
Experts say that if more cases of the recombinant variant appear, research will focus on how it spreads and whether disease severity differs from previous outbreaks. Meanwhile, the UK vaccination programme continues to target people at higher risk, including those with multiple sexual partners or who attend sex-on-premises venues.
