Sweden Registers First Case Outside Africa of More Dangerous Mpox Variant
Sweden has reported its first case of mpox clade I, a more dangerous variant of the viral infection that is transmitted through close contact. This announcement marks the first case of this variant outside of Africa, according to Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed.
The infected person was reported to have traveled to an area in Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox clade I and sought medical help upon returning to Stockholm. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) considers the risk to the general population in Sweden as very low.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighboring countries. The WHO reports 548 deaths in the DRC this year and emphasizes the need for a coordinated international response to contain the outbreaks and save lives.