Global health authorities confirmed Thursday that a new strain of the mpox virus has been detected in Sweden, linked to a growing outbreak in Africa.
This marks the first indication of the virus spreading outside the continent, just a day after the World Health Organisation declared the disease a global public health emergency.
Swedish health officials confirmed that a person contracted the clade Ib strain of mpox while in Africa and is currently receiving treatment.
Lawrence Gostin, a public health expert at Georgetown Law, warned that the case in Sweden could signal undetected cases across Europe.
Dr. Brian Ferguson from the University of Cambridge noted that while the case in Sweden is alarming, it is not unexpected given the outbreak’s severity in Africa.
Dr. Ferguson warned that “there will likely be more here and in other parts of the world” due to the lack of mechanisms to prevent the import of mpox cases.
The World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on Wednesday, following the spread of cases from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries.
Congo has reported 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths, primarily among children, since the outbreak began in January 2023.
Gavi’s announcement comes as concerns grow about the spread of mpox beyond Africa. The outbreak, which has significantly impacted the Democratic Republic of Congo, is now being closely watched by health authorities worldwide.
Although no cases have been reported in North America, officials are on high alert, given the potential for further international spread.
Gavi’s commitment of up to $500 million aims to ensure that affected countries have access to vaccines as part of the global response to this public health challenge.
The CDC has updated its Health Alert Network and Travel Health Notice to inform U.S. healthcare providers, travelers, and public health partners about the spread of clade I mpox into new regions.
Clade Ib, a variant of clade I endemic to the Congo, is driving the current outbreak and appears to transmit more easily through close contact, including sexual contact.
U.S. health officials note that clade I mpox generally results in more severe infections and has a higher mortality rate compared to clade II.
WHO declared a public health emergency in 2022 for an outbreak of clade II mpox, which caused over 95,000 cases in 115 non-endemic countries.
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