WHO Forecasts Rise in Imported Monkeypox Cases in Europe

An alert was issued after Sweden reported its first case of a new, more contagious and dangerous virus variant. What measures are being considered to address this situation?

Mpox Variant Reaches Europe

On Thursday, August 15, Sweden confirmed its first case of the mpox monkeypox variant outside Africa.

This detection has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn about the risk of spread of this potentially more contagious and dangerous variant in Europe.

A Scenario Feared by WHO

The WHO stated, “It is likely that more imported cases of clade 1 (variant) will be recorded in the European region in the coming days and weeks.”

However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently assesses this risk as very low.

Worrying Development in Africa

The new case emerges amid a concerning health situation in Africa, where the variant has seen a significant resurgence since September 2023. Since January 2022, Africa CDC records a 160% increase in cases year-over-year, totaling 38,465 cases.

A First Outside Africa

The Swedish Public Health Agency reported that a resident in the Stockholm area was diagnosed with the clade 1 subtype of the mpox virus, marking the first such case outside Africa.

Although the individual contracted the virus during a visit to an affected African region, the agency assures that this does not pose a risk to the broader population.

The WHO urges vigilance and emphasizes the importance of information sharing and public health measures to control the virus’s spread. It cautions against implementing inappropriate restrictive measures, such as border closures.

Amid this situation, vaccination efforts are increasing. The United States announced a donation of 50,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus, which causes rash all over the body, transmits from animals to humans and through close physical contact with an infected person.