New Mpox Strain Clade 1b Poses Heightened Risk to Children amid African Outbreak

Unlike previous strains, Clade 1b has shown a worrying trend of infecting a broader demographic, including women and children

Experts have voiced concerns about the emerging Mpox strain, Clade 1b, which poses a major risk to children as the infectious disease spreads across Africa. Mpox has been declared as a global health emergency on August 15 by the World Health Organization (WHO), highlighting the intensity of the situation.

This new outbreak greatly differs from the 2022 Mpox outbreak, which was mainly caused by the less deathly Clade II and affected mainly men who had sex with men (MSM). Since the first outbreak, over 99,000 cases and 208 deaths have been reported across the world. However, the current comeback, mainly caused by Clade 1b, has led to more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths in 2024 alone. Unlike previous strains, Clade 1b has shown a worrying trend of infecting a broader demographic, including women and children. Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association's National Covid-19 Task Force, noted that this strain’s pattern of spread and mortality is notably different, with higher transmission rates in households and schools. Although children constitute comparatively a smaller number of cases compared to adults, recent data shows an increase in pediatric infections. Dr. Rohit Garg, Consultant at Amrita Hospital, warned that children might experience more severe and complicated effects than adults requiring more careful monitoring and precautionary steps.

Experts are now investigating whether Clade 1b could be transmitted through respiratory means, given the rapid spread among children, calling for further research and validation.