An instance of the new mpox variant clade 1b has been identified in Germany by the Robert Koch Institute health authority. The infection was acquired abroad and was confirmed recently. The institute stated that there is no heightened risk for Germany at the moment but is closely monitoring the situation.
Mpox, a viral illness akin to smallpox, leads to symptoms like fever, body pains, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that progresses to blisters. It has two primary subtypes: clade 1 and clade 2. In May 2022, clade 2 began spreading globally, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men in Europe and the United States. Subsequently, in July 2022, a global public health emergency was declared by the WHO due to the rapid spread of the disease.
Vaccination campaigns in various nations played a crucial role in reducing the worldwide mpox cases. The WHO lifted the emergency status in May 2023 after confirming 140 fatalities out of around 87,400 cases. However, a new outbreak emerged this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo, involving a new strain known as clade 1b.
Besides impacting children, clade 1 also emerged in the DRC, along with clade 1b. Cases of clade 1b have also been reported in neighboring countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, none of which had previously reported mpox cases. Another international emergency was declared by the WHO in August in response to this development.