Chinese health officials have identified a new mutated strain of mpox, clade Ib, in a foreigner who travelled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Chinese health authorities said on Thursday they had detected the new mutated mpox strain clade Ib as the viral infection spreads to more countries after the World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency last year.

The Chinese government on Thursday said it recorded five cases of a new Mpox strain, stating that the outbreak has been effectively handled. DAILY POST reports that Mpox is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by animals but can also spread from person to person through close physical contact,

Mpox spreads through close contact with infected people and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. The symptoms can last 2-4 weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches,