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Health officials in England have found a new strain of mpox. The new 'hybrid' strain was found in a person who had recently travelled to Asia, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Monday (December 8).

Experts in the field have said the discovery of the 'recombinant' mpox virus , which has genetic material from different circulating strains, is 'of concern'. The UKHSA said tests showed that the virus contained elements of its two main groups: clade Ib and IIb mpox.

Dr Katy Sinka, Head of Sexually Transmitted Infections at UKHSA, said: "Our genomic testing has enabled us to detect this new mpox strain. It’s normal for viruses to evolve, and further analysis will help us understand more about how mpox is changing.

"Although mpox infection is mild for many, it can

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