HPR volume 18 issue 8: news and infection reports (26 and 30 September)
Updated 20 December 2024
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UKHSA prepares mpox guidance for health professionals
Following the WHO’s declaration, in August 2024, that the upsurge of mpox in a growing number of countries in Africa constituted a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the UKHSA is reviewing and updating its mpox guidance in preparation for any future circulation of clade I strain of the virus outside the Africa region.
Historically, circulation of the causative virus MPXV had been restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, but in 2022 a global outbreak occurred.
During the 2022 global outbreak, cases of mpox were reported in multiple countries that had not previously seen MPXV in either human or animal populations, including the UK. The majority of these cases were from the clade IIb, B.1 lineage, a strain of the virus that is no longer classified as a High Consequence Infectious Disease in the UK.
In 2024, clade I mpox cases – previously known to have been circulating only in 5 central African countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon and the Republic of the Congo) have also been reported elsewhere.
Given the increase in clade I mpox cases seen in Africa, and the detection of cases in Europe and Asia, UKHSA has been reviewing its suite of guidance on mpox to ensure that the public health system is prepared for the possibility that a case of clade I mpox may be detected in the UK.
Access to mpox guidance is via the Mpox guidance collection.
The Agency continues to publish regular technical briefings on mpox.
UKHSA continues to work on mpox contingency plans with the Devolved Administrations and international partners, including European, US and other national public health agencies, and to support the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advice for international travellers relating to mpox generally is published by the TravelHealthPro website.
Online service introduced for notifiable disease reporting
Registered Medical Practitioners in the UK have a legal duty to notify suspected or confirmed cases of any diseases prescribed under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010. This information is used by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to ensure that appropriate public health action is taken quickly to protect patients, their families, and the wider community.
Until recently, notification has been through a paper, telephone and email-based system. However, in September, UKHSA launched a new service whereby notifications can be made, more quickly and easily, via a ‘Report a notifiable disease guidance’ page on GOV.UK. Further information, such as access to training videos, can be found on the web page.
UKHSA collects this information from doctors and their teams in order to publish regular reports of local and national infectious disease trends. The data gathered is crucial in supporting the Agency’s work in surveillance and epidemiology, so that outbreaks can be rapidly responded to and longer-term trends and other issues identified.
Timely notification of prescribed diseases is essential for prompt public heath action to ensure that the spread of an infectious disease is contained, any growing risks are identified and the wider population protected as soon as possible. The new service will both ease the administrative burden on NHS doctors and UKHSA Health Protection Teams and provide for a faster response to cases, incidents and outbreaks.