European country confirms first case of more contagious mpox found outside Africa
Christian Musema, a laboratory nurse, takes a sample from a child declared a suspected case of Mpox
Reuters
Sweden has confirmed a first case of mpox, the first detection of the strain of the disease outside Africa.
It comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to other countries.
Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed told a news conference in Stockholm: "We have now also during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called Clade I."
An emergency committee met on Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the disease outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern," or PHEIC.
Mpox has spread outside Africa
Getty/Reuters
A map of the mpox outbreak in AfricaGettyPHEIC status is WHO's highest level of alert and aims to accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.
Tedros said: "It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives."
Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.
The outbreak in DRC began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact.
It has spread from DRC to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, triggering the action from the WHO.
LATEST ON THE MPOX OUTBREAK
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Getty
Gedeon Kakule, 13, who among the first cases Mpox - an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that spark-off a painful rashReutersProfessor Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO's mpox emergency committee, said all members unanimously agreed that the current upsurge of cases is an "extraordinary event," with a record number of cases in Congo.
Vaccines and behaviour change helped stop the spread when a different strain of mpox spread globally, primarily among men who have sex with men, and WHO declared an emergency in 2022.
In DRC, the transmission routes need further study, WHO said. No vaccines are yet available, although efforts are underway to change that and work out who best to target.
The agency also appealed to countries with stockpiles to donate shots.
Dr Tresor Wakilongo, verifies the evolution of skin lesions on the ear of Innocent, suffering from Mpox
Reuters
Tedros said on Wednesday that WHO had released $1.5million in contingency funds and plans to release more in the coming days.
WHO's response plan would require an initial $15m, and the agency plans to appeal to donors for funding.
Earlier this week, Africa's top public health body declared an mpox emergency for the continent after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths this year, mainly among children in Congo.