Mpox in the United Kingdom
The UK detected the first case of the 2022 global mpox outbreak and mounted a rapid response with targeted vaccination that helped contain spread by late 2022.
Key Data
| Metric | Data |
| First 2022 case (global) | UK, May 7, 2022 |
| Total cases 2022 | ~3,700 |
| Peak week | Late July 2022 |
| Vaccine used | Imvanex (JYNNEOS) — MVA-BN smallpox vaccine |
| Primary affected group | Gay and bisexual men, MSM networks |
| Health authority | UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) |
The UK as Early Warning System
The UK's National Infection Service, with its strong clinical and genomic surveillance networks, identified the 2022 mpox case on May 7, 2022, and rapidly shared findings internationally. This triggered WHO alerting and surveillance in other countries. Within days, additional cases were identified in the UK in individuals with no travel to Nigeria — confirming that community transmission was already occurring. The UK's early detection provided crucial weeks for other countries to prepare vaccination strategies and public-health information.
UKHSA Response and Vaccination
UKHSA rapidly deployed Imvanex (the UK's licensed name for the JYNNEOS MVA-BN smallpox vaccine) to sexual health clinics. The targeting strategy prioritized gay and bisexual men with multiple partners. Sexual health clinics, already well-networked in the UK's NHS, became the primary vaccination and diagnosis hubs. Contact tracing for mpox in the UK adapted existing sexual health contact tracing infrastructure. The UK also conducted regularly updated genomic sequencing that contributed to understanding the 2022 Clade IIb variant's distinct transmission characteristics (sexual transmission network rather than household transmission).
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FAQ
Yes. In the UK, the Imvanex (MVA-BN) vaccine is available through NHS sexual health services for those at higher risk — primarily gay and bisexual men with multiple partners. Following the 2024 WHO PHEIC declaration for Clade Ib mpox, UKHSA updated guidance on who should be vaccinated. Contact your local sexual health clinic or check the NHS website for current eligibility and availability.
Mpox symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a distinctive rash that progresses from macules to papules to vesicles to pustules. In the 2022 global outbreak, genital and perianal lesions were common early presentations. If you develop an unexplained rash, especially on genitals, face, or hands, contact a sexual health clinic or NHS 111 — don't attend A&E without calling first.
Sources: UKHSA mpox situation reports; WHO 2022 global mpox outbreak data; Lancet (Thornhill et al. UK-led 2022 mpox clinical study); COG-UK mpox genomics.
Related: Mpox overview · Germany mpox · USA mpox