This is variant 1, more virulent and dangerous, which has led to WHO declaring a new international health emergency. WHO is calling for a united international response, free from alarmism.
Swedish authorities have confirmed a first case of a new, more severe type of mpox, or monkeypox, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern. “We have confirmed that we have a case of the most severe type of mpox, called Clade 1, in Sweden. This is something we take very seriously,” Minister of Health and Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed explained at a press conference on Thursday.
Olivia Wigzell, CEO of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, explained that this is the first positive case. outside the African continent and that the person had been infected during a trip to an area in Africa with an active outbreak of this strain.
The fact that a patient with mpox is being treated in the country no risk to the population“, he noted, recalling that the European Agency for the Prevention of Infections (ECDC) considers the risk of spread as “low”.
According to the WHO, the arrival of the new variant in Europe is a clear example of the fact that containing the spread of this disease will be a necessity a united international response.
“The identification of the first mpox clade (variant) 1b infection in Sweden underscores the need for affected countries to tackle the virus together,” said the WHO Director-General. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
It has encouraged all countries to improve surveillance, share the data they have and work to better understand transmission, and to share the vaccines they have available.
In turn, the spokesperson Margaret Harris has warned that there is no reason to panic, citing information about suspected infections from simply shaking hands with an infected person who does not have a rash.
“We often have these alarming examples, but this is spread by very close contact. We see it in homes, from mothers to children, through sexual relations or through sheets or clothing of someone who is infected,” he explained. This happens “when the blisters are visible and there is fluid in them,” he said.
The appearance of the new variant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 Congo (DRC) and its rapid spread, mainly through sexual transmission, and its detection in neighbouring countries are of “particular concern” to WHO.
Three cases in Pakistan
Pakistani health authorities have reported three cases, the first recorded in Asia since the declaration of an international health emergency. The three patients, who arrived from the United Arab Emirates, remain in quarantine.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
