Germany detects first case of dangerous new mpox strain

Germany has detected its first case of the dangerous new strain of mpox currently raging in central Africa.

In a statement, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health confirmed that the infection had been acquired abroad before its detection on October 18. However, noting that close physical contact is required for transmission, it added that the risk to the wider population remained low.

“The RKI currently considers the risk to the health of the general population in Germany to be low,” the RKI said, adding it was monitoring the situation closely and would adapt its assessment if necessary.

The World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August after an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).that has since spread to neighbouring countries.

The DRC has been at the epicentre of the concerning outbreak of a new strain, called clade 1b, which first emerged in the eastern region South Kivu. At the same time, the vast country is battling another form of the virus, called clade 1a – while the strain has been endemic for decades, the situation dramatically worsened last year.

The first sign of its spread outside the African continent came in August 15 when global health officials confirmed a case in Sweden.

That same month, Thailand became the second country outside of Africa to confirm a case when a 66-year-old male tested positive for clade 1b mpox after travelling from Bakauva, DRC.

And last month, India confirmed its first case after a 38-year-old man was admitted to hospital in the southern state of Kerala following his return from the United Arab Emirates.

A long-awaited vaccination campaign has begun in DRC to help stop the spread of the virus. At least 14,000 people have been given their first dose in three provinces so far, according to the DRC’s Ministry of Health.

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