Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The ECDC has raised the alert level for mpox after detecting the severe clade 1 variant in Europe. Precautions include vaccination and heightened surveillance amid travel concerns.
How is the new mpox variant impacting Europe?
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) extended the alert level for the mpox virus, previously known as monkeypox, urging European Union member states to take precautions against a new variant extending from Central Africa. The declaration comes after the first case of the more difficult mpox strain (Clade 1) was registered in Europe, specifically in Sweden, on August 15.
What precautions is the ECDC advising for EU member states?
The ECDC emphasised the potential for increased cases in Europe due to regular travel between the continents and suggested that travellers to and from affected regions consider getting vaccinated.
“As a result of the quick spread of this outbreak in Africa, ECDC has raised the level of risk for the general population in the EU/EEA and travellers to impacted areas. Due to the close ties between Europe and Africa, we must be equipped for more imported clade I cases,” stated ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner.
How severe is the mpox clade 1 variant compared to others?
The latest mpox variant, clade 1, has been especially severe in countries such as Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, with Congo registering over 16,000 infections and 511 deaths this year.
The ECDC highlighted that while the risk of across-the-board transmission within the EU remains low, quick detection and treatment of cases are required to prevent outbreaks. This announcement tracks the World Health Organization’s declaration of the mpox clade 1 virus as a “public health emergency of international concern,” its most heightened level of alert.
In reaction, some countries, like China, have enforced stricter border controls, while the EU is focusing on improving surveillance, laboratory testing, and educating travellers. The ECDC’s recommendations include that tourists experiencing symptoms seek immediate medical attention and isolate to stop further spread. Despite the rising problem, the agency clarified that travel prohibitions and border controls within the EU are not considered necessary at this stage.Â
In 2022, the world witnessed a significant outbreak of mpox, primarily driven by clade 2 of the virus. This strain was disseminated internationally and led to a public health emergency proclamation by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite its reach, clade 2 was relatively mild, with a lower mortality rate, and was primarily transmitted through close physical connections, including sexual networks. Meanwhile, the current condition in 2024 is more concerning due to the emergence of the more difficult variant, clade 1.
