Spain is set to step up health controls at the country’s main international airport in Madrid in an effort to prevent the spread of a deadlier variant of the monkeypox virus.
A new more lethal form of the mpox virus has emerged in Africa, which has killed at least 450 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday described the ongoing mpox outbreak across several central African nations as a “public health emergency of international concern”.
WHO officials said the outbreak in Africa presented a danger to the entire world and said decisive action to combat the virus was needed immediately.
Reacting to the warning, Madrid’s Minister of Community Health urged the central government to reinforce controls at Barajas airport to prevent a national pandemic.
Fátima Matute said the new variant could be spread by infected people arriving from Africa or by anyone who has been in contact with those with the disease.
She urged the public to seek immediate medical assistance if they started to come down with any symptoms.
She said: “Anyone who has symptoms and suspects having contracted the mpox virus can go to any of the emergency services of the public hospitals in Madrid.”
Her calls for fast government intervention were echoed by Madrid’s head of the Environment, Agriculture and Interior – Carlos Novillo.
He demanded that the Ministry of Health “take preventive measures, especially in Barajas, an important airport that registers a large flow of travellers daily instead of just being reactive.”
The Ministry of Health is scheduled to meet next Monday with staff from other health agencies to discuss the growing crisis.
The new strain spreading within Africa is a more dangerous variety than the one which reached Europe in 2022.
The older version, known as clade II, was much milder and killed approximately one in 500 people.
The current strain causing concern among scientists is known as clade 1b and kills one in 20 adults.
Its fatality rate in children is higher – one in 10. The virus is also believed to cause miscarriages in pregnant women.
The disease causes lumpy lesions, as well as a fever, aches and pains and fatigue. In a small number of cases, it can enter the blood and lungs, as well as other parts of the body, when it becomes life-threatening.
