Scientists have detected a ‘new strain’ of a serious virus in England. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said people contracting the illness could be hit by a ‘serious’ infection.

The UKHSA has identified a new recombinant mpox virus in England in an individual who had recently travelled to Asia. Officials said genomic sequencing showed that the mpox genome contained elements of clade Ib and IIb mpox.

The UKHSA said this i s not unexpected as both clades are circulating , but highlights the continued potential for mpox virus to evolve and the importance of continued genomic surveillance and added that it is continuing to assess the significance of the strain.

Dr Katy Sinka, Head of Sexually Transmitted Infections at UKHSA , said: “Our genomic testing has enabled us to detect t

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