Urgent warning over rise in deadlier mpox cases in Europe and US as UK officials fear virus may be spreading undetected
October 28, 2025
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging eligible individuals—especially gay and bisexual men—to get vaccinated as the more severe clade 1b strain of mpox spreads across Europe and the U.S. While UK cases remain travel-linked, community transmission abroad signals potential undetected global spread. Clade 1b, which has caused miscarriages and higher fatality rates in Africa, presents new risks that demand vigilance. With no direct treatments available, vaccination remains the strongest defense. Public health preparedness, timely immunization, and open communication with affected communities are critical to preventing another wave of this painful and stigmatized disease.
A renewed call to action has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) amid rising concern over the global spread of the clade 1b mpox strain—a more virulent variant now detected in parts of Europe and the United States. While only 16 cases have been identified in the UK so far, all linked to travel, infections in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands without such links point to undetected transmission within sexual networks.
Unlike the 2022 outbreak driven by the milder clade II strain, clade 1b has caused significant illness and mortality in central Africa, including miscarriages and fatalities approaching 1%. Although such outcomes are unlikely to be replicated in the UK due to better healthcare infrastructure, health officials stress that complacency could enable domestic spread.
Dr. Katy Sinka of UKHSA emphasized the importance of vaccination as the most effective means of protection, even in the absence of data on clade 1b-specific vaccine performance. The smallpox-based vaccine, proven effective against clade II, is expected to confer cross-protection. Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, Richard Angell, underscored the need for proactive vaccination within the gay and bisexual community—those disproportionately affected in 2022—urging individuals with multiple partners or who attend sex-on-premises venues to get immunized.
The World Health Organization has already classified the African outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, echoing early pandemic warnings. With Pride events, increased travel, and sexual health services stretched thin, this moment requires clear communication, rapid vaccination uptake, and continued surveillance.
Mpox’s reemergence is a reminder that global health security depends not only on scientific tools but also on community trust, swift policy coordination, and equitable access to protection.