First case of mpox strain confirmed in Europe amid global public health emergency

Sweden has recorded its first case of a new variant of mpox, the first confirmed case in Europe.

At least 450 people have died following an outbreak of mpox Clade 1 in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global public health emergency after the virus spread to areas of central and east Africa.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, has two types; Clade 1 and Clade 2.

Clade 2 resulted in public health emergency in 2022, but was deemed relatively mild. However, Clade 1 has a high fatality rate and a mutant strain of it, called Clade 1b, has spread rapidly.

On Thursday, Jakob Forssmed, Sweden’s health and social affairs minister, revealed the country had recorded its first case of the strain of the virus.

At a news conference, he said: “We have now during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called Clade 1.”

The person was infected while staying in a part of Africa where there was a large outbreak of the disease, said Olivia Wigzell, director-general at the Swedish Public Health Agency.

She added: “The case is the first caused by Clade 1 that has been diagnosed outside the African continent.”

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches.

People with more serious cases can develop characteristic lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

It is passed on through close physical contact, including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or holding hands.

More than 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths have been reported in Africa this year, with more than 96 per cent of fatalities reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said no cases of Clade 1 had so far been recorded in Britain.

However, planning was underway for the arrival of the variant, the organisation said.

Dr Meera Chand, a UKHSA deputy director, said: “This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and the prevention of onward transmission.”

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the emergence of a new clade of mpox and its rapid spread in eastern DR Congo was “very worrying”.

She added: “On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a co-ordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”