China has detected the new mutated strain of the mpox virus, as the pathogen spreads to more geographies after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak in Africa a new global health emergency last year.

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.

French health officials announced on Tuesday its first case of a dangerous new strain of the mpox virus that has created havoc in central Africa.

France's health ministry confirmed its first case of a new mpox virus. The detection comes just weeks after the World Health Organization upheld its highest alert level in response to the ongoing epidemic.