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Health officials have revealed a new hybrid strain of mpox has been detected in England, sparking fresh warnings for people to stay alert and get vaccinated if eligible.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Monday (December 8) it has identified a new mpox virus in an individual who had recently travelled to Asia. Tests showed the virus is a 'recombinant' strain, meaning it contains genetic material from two different mpox clades that are currently circulating globally .

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral infection caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as smallpox. The infection is most commonly found in parts of central and east Africa, but a global outbreak in 2022 caused cases to spike across the globe.

The spread of the 'clade Ib'

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