The first case of a new variant of mpox has been detected in Germany, the Robert Koch Institute for Public Health (RKI) said on Tuesday, assessing the risk to the population as low.
The institute said in a statement that the infection caused by the new variant, which was acquired abroad, was detected on October 18. It notes that close physical contact is required for transmission. The RKI said, adding that it was closely monitoring the situation and would adjust its assessment if necessary:
“The RKI currently considers the risk to the health of the general population in Germany to be low.”
Earlier, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak of monkeypox in Africa an epidemiological public health emergency of international concern.
In August, the WHO declared mpox a public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighbouring countries.
At least 450 people died in the initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the disease has since spread to parts of Central and East Africa.
The first sign of the virus spreading beyond the African continent came on August 15, when global health officials confirmed infection with a new strain of smallpox virus in Sweden.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is transmitted through close contact. It causes flu-like symptoms, skin lesions and can be fatal – four out of 100 cases result in death.
