First case of more dangerous variant recorded outside Africa
An infection with the more dangerous variant of the monkeypox virus (mpox) has been recorded in Sweden, Swedish health authorities confirm. This is immediately the first case outside the African continent.
"The case in Sweden takes place in a person who became infected while staying in an area in Africa where there is currently a major outbreak," Swedish health authorities said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international medical emergency Wednesday because of a disturbing outbreak of a new, more deadly variant of mpox, also known as monkeypox, in Africa. The mpox virus is descended from "common" smallpox: a highly deadly disease that was completely eradicated thanks to vaccination.
The center of infection is in the Congo. Since early 2023, more than 14,000 cases and at least 511 deaths have already been reported. Four African countries have recently recorded the first cases: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. And mpox cases have also already been identified in Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa. And now, therefore, also in Europe.
WHO experts decided at an emergency committee in Switzerland to declare a top-level international medical emergency. In those ways, it wants to alert authorities around the world to prepare for possible outbreaks.
The new variant of mpox is said to have a mortality rate as high as 10 percent.
(FVDV for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Unsplash)
