Sweden has confirmed the first case of a person infected with the contagious new variant of mpox outside of Africa.
The person contracted the virus while staying in an area of Africa where there is currently a major outbreak of mpox Clade I, Sweden’s public health agency said.
At least 450 people died during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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 immediately needed.
Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said: “The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe.
“Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself.”
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 virus spreads between people via skin-to-skin contact, most commonly during sex.
However, it can spread through touching and by secondary contact – such as by sharing towels or bed sheets.
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.
