More cases of a new strain of mpox have been detected in the UK, officials say.
Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said a single case of the mpox virus variant Clade 1b had been confirmed in London.
The agency has now announced a further two cases have been detected.
The two patients are currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, it added.
“The risk to the UK population remains low,” the UKHSA said.
“There has been extensive planning under way to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.”
The UKHSA’s chief medical adviser, Professor Susan Hopkins, said: “Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household.
“The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.”
The agency said contacts of all three cases are being followed up on and would be offered testing and vaccination as needed.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.