The Foreign Office has issued new travel advice after an mpox outbreak has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) named the increasing number of mpox cases reported in Africa as a major concern. Mpox is an infection caused by the mpox virus, with two distinct strains.
Clade 1 mpox has been associated with a higher risk of people with the infection developing severe illness or dying, compared to Clade 2, according to Travel Health Pro - a subdivision of the Foreign Office.
In May 2022, an outbreak of Clade 2 mpox occurred globally. This outbreak predominantly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. READ MORE: 'Doctors told me I wouldn't live into my mid-30s, if you told me I'd be doing this now I would have laughed you out of the country' Prior to 2024, Clade 1 mpox had only been reported in 5 countries in central Africa, explains Travel Health Pro.