A doctor has given his thoughts on why an initial outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread fast.
The strain, known as clade 1b, emerged in the central African nation and has also spread to the east of the continent.
"My suspicion is this particular strain is is more severe, more easily transmissible between humans, and that may be due to the fact that the virus has continued to circulate across global communities including this part of the African continent," Erik Blutinger, emergency physician and public health specialist, said.
UK health officials have said they are preparing for any potential cases after the World Health Organisation declared outbreaks of the virus in Africa a global emergency.
