UK orders 150,000 mpox vaccine doses amid spread of new strain in Africa

The UK has procured wrror than 0. 15 million doses of mpox vaccines add-on the WHO having announced that the cases in Africa have been a global emergency. 
 
As yet there have been no identified cases of clade Ib mpox, which is the new strain that has rapidly emerged in Africa following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 
 
But, Health Officials from UK in a briefing on Monday noted that, procurement of more vaccines was required to strengthen the country’s defense against the virus which earlier was called as monkeypox. 
 
They also outlined three simulations showing the likelihood of a UK epidemic. 
 
The first was in small clusters of a few cases, the second a ‘manageable epidemic’ phase and the third included patients in hospitals, care homes, prisons and schools. It is important to note that none of the expected scenarios that was described were forecasts or estimates, according to officials. 
 
“We are ready to see those in the UK and vaccination has its very important role to play in the way we prevent it,” noted Susan Hopkins, the Chief medical officer at UK Health security agency. 
 
“In addition to vaccination, we have been moving very quickly to ensure that clinicians are alert to cases, can identify them quickly, and that rapid testing is available for infected patients; protocols are being developed for the safe clinical care of those who have the infection and minimising the risk of onward transmission. ” 
 
Mpox is transmitted from one person to another through direct physical contact. The disease is characterized by flu like symptoms, and vesicular, ulcerating, base rich in pus They are usually mild but often fatal. Pregnant women, children below the age of five and those with a compromised immune system are most vulnerable. 
 
The vaccine, produced by Bavarian Nordic, would be available to those who would qualify in phases depending on clinical necessity, health authorities added. 
 
Gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, some healthcare employees, specific healthcare and humanitarian staff, and close relations of mpox patients, according to the officials. 
 
Clade Ib has raised more alarm among the authorities than clade IIb that caused an outbreak of the virus in the world in 2022. There have been small clusters of the clade IIb cases for roughly two years in the UK. 
 
It had a vaccination programme in the summer of year 2022 and ended in the summer of year 2023. This is based on the fact that around 50, 000 persons have received the second dose of the jab which Has an efficacy rate of 80 percent in preventing mpox cases, and more than 83, 000 have received the first dose. 
 
Steve Russell, NHS England’s director for vaccinations and screening, said that despite the fact that the risk of getting mpox in the UK is small, vaccination provides ‘a degree of protection’ to the most exposed groups. 
 
“We urge those who qualify to seek the jab when they are called by their local health centers because it’s the best protection,” he said. 
 
The health secretary, Wes Streeting, then clarified that he was also watching the spread of mpox in other countries carefully. 
 
He added: To date, there have been no cases of mpox from clade Ib identified in the UK but, as part of ongoing preparedness we are ensuring that the nation is protected with a tried and tested vaccination programme that targets the most vulnerable groups.