NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning on Thursday about the likelihood of further imported cases of the new, more dangerous mpox strain in Europe. This announcement followed Sweden’s report of the first such infection outside Africa. The outbreak has resulted in hundreds of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A traveller in Sweden has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the Clade 1b subclade, the same strain that has been spreading in the DRC since September 2023.The WHO declared the mpox surge in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, marking it the highest level of alert.
The UN health agency expressed concerns due to the increasing cases and fatalities in the DRC and the virus’s spread to other African countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Sweden’s public health agency confirmed the case in Stockholm but assured that the infection poses a very low risk to the general European population.
“A person who sought care in Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the Clade 1 variant. It is the first case caused by Clade 1 to be diagnosed outside the African continent,” stated the Swedish Public Health Agency.
The individual was infected during a visit to the affected part of Africa, as noted by state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control currently considers the risk to the general population in Europe very low.
“The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low,” Gisslen said in the statement.
The WHO’s European regional office in Copenhagen announced it was in discussions with Sweden on how best to manage the newly detected case.
“The confirmation of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world,” the office stated. “There are likely to be further imported cases of Clade 1 in the European region over the coming days and weeks, and it is imperative that we don’t stigmatise travellers or countries/regions.”
Regarding travel, the WHO emphasised that travel restrictions and border closures are ineffective and should be avoided.
“Travel restrictions and border closures don’t work and should be avoided,” it added.
The outbreak has heavily impacted the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba reported via video that the country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year, affecting all 26 provinces of the DRC.
“The country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year,” Kamba said, stressing that all 26 provinces have been affected. The DRC’s population is around 100 million.
Efforts to combat the outbreak in the DRC include a national strategic plan for vaccination against mpox and enhanced disease surveillance at borders and checkpoints. Government-level working groups have been established to improve contact tracing and resource mobilization for controlling the epidemic.
The virus, formerly known as monkeypox, was discovered in monkeys in Denmark in 1958 and first identified in humans in 1970 in the DRC. Mpox is an infectious disease transmitted to humans by infected animals and can also be passed between humans through close physical contact. Symptoms include fever, muscular aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.
In response to the outbreak, the US Department of Health announced it would donate 50,000 doses of the FDA-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to the DRC.
Mpox exists in two subtypes: the more virulent and deadlier Clade 1, endemic to the Congo Basin in central Africa, and Clade 2, endemic to West Africa. A significant surge in mpox infections occurred worldwide in May 2022, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men, due to the Clade 2b subclade.
The WHO declared a public health emergency that lasted from July 2022 to May 2023. This outbreak, largely subsided now, resulted in around 140 deaths out of approximately 90,000 cases.
The Clade 1b subclade, which is causing the current concern, results in more severe disease and has a higher fatality rate than Clade 2b.
A traveller in Sweden has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the Clade 1b subclade, the same strain that has been spreading in the DRC since September 2023.The WHO declared the mpox surge in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, marking it the highest level of alert.
The UN health agency expressed concerns due to the increasing cases and fatalities in the DRC and the virus’s spread to other African countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Sweden’s public health agency confirmed the case in Stockholm but assured that the infection poses a very low risk to the general European population.
“A person who sought care in Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the Clade 1 variant. It is the first case caused by Clade 1 to be diagnosed outside the African continent,” stated the Swedish Public Health Agency.
The individual was infected during a visit to the affected part of Africa, as noted by state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control currently considers the risk to the general population in Europe very low.
“The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low,” Gisslen said in the statement.
The WHO’s European regional office in Copenhagen announced it was in discussions with Sweden on how best to manage the newly detected case.
“The confirmation of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world,” the office stated. “There are likely to be further imported cases of Clade 1 in the European region over the coming days and weeks, and it is imperative that we don’t stigmatise travellers or countries/regions.”
Regarding travel, the WHO emphasised that travel restrictions and border closures are ineffective and should be avoided.
“Travel restrictions and border closures don’t work and should be avoided,” it added.
The outbreak has heavily impacted the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba reported via video that the country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year, affecting all 26 provinces of the DRC.
“The country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year,” Kamba said, stressing that all 26 provinces have been affected. The DRC’s population is around 100 million.
Efforts to combat the outbreak in the DRC include a national strategic plan for vaccination against mpox and enhanced disease surveillance at borders and checkpoints. Government-level working groups have been established to improve contact tracing and resource mobilization for controlling the epidemic.
The virus, formerly known as monkeypox, was discovered in monkeys in Denmark in 1958 and first identified in humans in 1970 in the DRC. Mpox is an infectious disease transmitted to humans by infected animals and can also be passed between humans through close physical contact. Symptoms include fever, muscular aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.
In response to the outbreak, the US Department of Health announced it would donate 50,000 doses of the FDA-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to the DRC.
Mpox exists in two subtypes: the more virulent and deadlier Clade 1, endemic to the Congo Basin in central Africa, and Clade 2, endemic to West Africa. A significant surge in mpox infections occurred worldwide in May 2022, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men, due to the Clade 2b subclade.
The WHO declared a public health emergency that lasted from July 2022 to May 2023. This outbreak, largely subsided now, resulted in around 140 deaths out of approximately 90,000 cases.
The Clade 1b subclade, which is causing the current concern, results in more severe disease and has a higher fatality rate than Clade 2b.
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