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Mpox: Disease Control

Asked by Rachael MaskellLabour (Co-op)Department of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 14 October 2024UIN 7809

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment the UK Health Security Agency has made of the level of risk of an Mpox outbreak.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne

The latest risk assessment is set out in the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) technical briefing, which was published on 16 September 2024, and is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e83b367f20ecc7ec3aa1db/mpox-technical-briefing-9.pdf

The risk to the general population of the United Kingdom of being exposed to Mpox clade I is currently considered low. The UKHSA is operating well established monitoring and surveillance processes, ensuring rapid testing and vaccines are available, equipping healthcare professionals with latest guidance and advice on how to respond to potential cases, developing robust protocols to reduce risk of transmission, and working closely with international partners to ensure our plans and risk assessments are informed by the latest global picture.

There is widespread planning underway across the Government, including work by the Department, the UKHSA, and the National Health Service to manage any potential cases in the UK and help minimise transmission.

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