Campaigners have called for an urgent rollout of the mpox vaccine in the UK and abroad amid a new dangerous strain of the virus.
The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern after an outbreak of mpox in Democratic Republic of Congo, triggered by a new offshoot called clade Ib.
Mpox has killed at least 450 people in the DRC. On Thursday, Sweden became the first country outside Africa to confirm a case of clade Ib.
Experts said the new strain is "associated with a more severe disease and higher mortality rates" than the one that caused the global mpox outbreak in 2022.
Harun Tulunay who was hospitalised for 11 days in June 2022 with an earlier variant of mpox was among those calling for urgent action to protect those at risk.
Mr Tulunay was among the estimated two thousand Londoners affected by the virus, but has since made a full recovery.
“As a community, we've been advocating for the government and UKHSA to establish a permanent mpox vaccination program, given that research indicates the vaccine offers some level of protection”, he told the Standard.
“However, rather than embracing this preventive measure, the government has allowed the issue to slip by without taking action.
“We still lack a vaccination program, and if we want to stay ahead of the virus before it spreads further, we need to initiate vaccinations for target groups as soon as possible.”
Leading politicians were also among those backing calls for wider access to vaccines in the wake of the new variant.
Baroness Barker, of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/Aids, called for ministers to guarantee “immediate access to vaccines” both in the UK and abroad to prevent loss of life and prevent the spread.
“The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has specifically requested 10 million doses,” she said.
“The UK can play a vital role in acquiring these doses as soon as possible, including supporting voluntary or compulsory licensing of mpox vaccines to other manufacturers in the global south to rapidly increase supply, as well as help with facilitating distribution.”
While there are currently no cases of Clade 1b mpox confirmed in the UK, an NHS vaccination programme was established because of a separate outbreak of Clade 2 mpox in 2022, which was primarily spread through close contact and sexual networks.
Campaigners have called for the programme to be widened.
Currently, the NHS mpox outbreak vaccination programme is only available in London and Greater Manchester primarily for men who have sex with men, or those who regularly visit sex on demand premises.
British medics remain on high alert for any sustained transmission of the new variant, which is associated with worse mortality outcomes - but say the risk is currently low.
Access to vaccines is especially crucial because an antiviral treatment, Tecovirimat, used in the Clade 2 virus is not thought to be effective with the new variant, said mpox expert, Chloe Orkin who is the Professor of Infection and Inequities at Queen Mary University of London.
However vaccines are effective.
“What we know is that until yesterday Clade 1 virus had never been reported outside of Africa before and that the virus has mutated to become sexually transmissible,” she told the Standard.
“The virus has a higher mortality rate and is considered a high consequence infectious disease.
“That is why vaccination is extremely important for people in whom it has been recommended in the UK,” she added.
“It is desperately needed in central Africa where supplies are grossly inadequate.
“People at highest risk of severe disease are children, pregnant people, people with advanced HIV and people who are immunosuppressed for other reasons.”
Will Nutland, of the sexual health organisation The Love Tank, said: “Given the severity of the situation in DRC and its neighbours, a case should be made to shift stock-piled supplies of mpox vaccines to that region, as well as to consider programmes of vaccination for people travelling to and from the region.”
A UKHSA spokesperson said “planning is underway” to prepare for any new cases, with clinicians instructed on the “safe clinical care of people who have the infection and the prevention of onward transmission.”
