Although the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said there are currently no cases of Mpox in Britain, NHS doctors have been placed on alert and have been told to watch out for any potential outbreaks.

The virus, which sparked fears after a new strain was discovered, causes fluid-filled skin lesions, fever, flu-like symptoms and in severe cases, death.

Formerly known as monkeypox, the disease has been prevalent in Central and West Africa for decades.

However, the virus has now breached the borders of the EU after Swedish health officials confirmed there had been a case of the new Clade 1b strain in Stockholm.

Just one day prior, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency.

The UKHSA has said that despite the alert, the risk to the UK is relatively low.

That being said there are several reasons to be concerned about the virus.

According to Doctor Eoghan De Barra, Consultant in Infectious Diseases, Beaumont Hospital, and Senior Lecturer, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, the first case in Sweden should serve as a wake-up call.

Doctor De Barra told GB News: “We have the tools to limit the impact of Mpox on human health, but need resources, education and ongoing scientific investigation to optimise them.”

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