A new deadly virus has been discovered that causes 'gruesome' skin rashes, and experts say that it's everything they feared ahead of its spread across the world.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic everybody should be aware of quite how easy it is for certain viral strains to spread around the world, and consequently how dangerous that can be for the health of people across the globe if that is allowed to happen.
There have been fears and warnings from experts in recent years regarding viruses that could replicate the world-halting effect of COVID, yet thankfully we've not seen anything reach anywhere near the same level of spread or danger.
However, there does appear to be a horrible new virus spreading around the world, and experts have warned people to be aware of the nightmarish symptoms and side effects that you could end up being left with as a result.
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As reported by the Independent, a new statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has indicated that a new strain of mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, has appeared in England after most commonly being limited to areas in central and east Africa.
This is part of a wider spread of the virus around the globe, and its 'zoonotic' nature – meaning that it can affect and be carried by a wide variety of animals, including humans – means that it can be easily passed on.
It appears as if it was brought into the United Kingdom by someone who had recently returned to the country from Asia, and experts have asserted that it's 'everything they feared' as the new strain has mutated into a 'recombinant' hybrid, referring to the combination of genetic material between two separate mpox strains.
Advisors from the NHS have revealed that mpox can be "passed on from person to person through any close physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs," adding that "once infected, it usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear."
If you do manage to catch this new strain then you're likely going to be hit with a barrage of horrible symptoms, which include "a high temperature, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion, and join pain."
Most notable for mpox though are the rashes that appear between one and five days after the first symptoms, and these evolve from flat lesions to raise bumps, ending in fluid-filled blisters that are a nightmare to deal with.
Thankfully experts have illustrated that most cases are going to be mild, yet there is a risk for immunocompromised individuals as this could lead to further complications down the line.
"Potential complications include secondary infections, where bacterial infections can occur in lesions or blisters due to scratching or improper care, and in rare cases, the infection can lead to systemic complications like sepsis," explains Dr Bruno Silvester Lopes, a microbiology expert at Teesside University.