The alarm has been raised over the mutation of a new strain of mpox . The variant is said to be "highly transmissible" and is currently rampaging through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The virus comes from the 1a strain of mpox , which is said to be much deadlier with the capacity to kill 10 per cent of its infected patients. Though it's less deadly, officials are worried because the mutation - known as APOBEC3 - is more infectious and can be passed from person to person more easily.