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HealthEurope

Mpox: EU must prepare for more cases, health agency warns

August 16, 2024

Following reports a new strain of mpox arriving in Sweden, the EU's health agency has urged preparedness. The ECDC said new cases are "highly likely" but the risk remains "low."

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Illustration shows test tubes labeled "Monkeypox virus, positive and negative"
The EU's health agency has called for testing to detect any new cases of mpoxImage: Dado Ruvic/REUTERS

The European Union's health agency urged the bloc's member states to prepare for more cases of the deadly mpox infection on Friday, a day after the first case outside of Africa was reported in Sweden.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said the level of risk remained "low" but that it "recommends that public health authorities in the EU/EEA maintain high levels of preparedness planning and awareness-raising activities to enable rapid detection and response."

More cases expected in Europe

The ECDC raised its risk assessment for the mpox clade I strain to moderate on Friday.

The Stockholm-based agency said it was "highly likely" more cases would appear in Europe.

"Due to the close links between Europe and Africa, we must be prepared for more imported clade I cases," ECDC director Pamela Rendi-Wagner said in a statement.

A new offshoot of this strain has caused concern after appearing outside of Congo where the strain had become endemic.

The World Health Organization this week declared the spread of the new strain a public health emergency of international concern — the highest warning that it can give.

Mpox: WHO director declares public health emergency

What is mpox?

Mpox is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and can cause boil-like lesions on the skin. In some cases, it can result in death. At least 548 people have been killed by the virus in the DRC this year.

The virus is zoonotic, meaning that it can pass from animals to humans, but it can also be transmitted from humans to other humans through close physical contact.

The ECDC said the "overall risk for the EU/EEA general population is currently assessed as low, based on a very low likelihood and a low impact," but warned of an increased risk for people visiting affected areas.

The agency recommended that authorities focus on quickly detecting cases that may be imported to Europe.

"Test, test, test, in order to find the suspect cases in Europe as soon as possible and avoid further spreading," Rendi-Wagner advised the EU's various national health agencies.

Virologist explains why WHO sounded alarm over mpox virus

ab/nm (Reuters, AFP)